Hiccstrid: Drabbles and One-Shots
by ShipMistress
Summary: A dumping ground for unconnected drabbles, ideas, and one-shots. Hiccstrid, obviously, because I love to play with them. AUs and canon-verse. :)
1. For The Love Of A Princess - Prompt

**A/N:Welcome to my one-shot collection. I'l post everything here, canonverse, modern, and other AUs, and I'll try to mark them accordingly. We start with a small drabble within something of a Medieval/Royalty AU. Have fun :)  
**

 **. o O o .**

His lips on hers are like burning fire.

Astrid fists her hands into his hair, those gorgeous thick locks, and moans into his mouth.

He kisses her hungrily, and presses his weight against her and the cold stone wall behind her. He has one hand on her neck, the other on her waist. If anyone sees them like this, he's dead.

"Hic–" she breathes as he lightly bites down on her lower lips, and she shudders.

She has to stop him. They can't get carried away, not here and not now. Her hands drop to his shoulders, and, against all her wishes, she pushes him away.

He doesn't fight her. He stretches to keep the contact to her mouth as long as it is possible, but he doesn't fight her. He knows the risk.

Swallowing hard, he makes a step backwards, not quite leaving the niche they are hiding in, but giving them both space to calm down.

As if she can calm down with his dark dilated eyes on her like this.

"I have to go," she whispers, breathing heavily, and he nods.

 **. o O o .**

He's fighting the urge to step closer again. He wants to caress her flushed cheeks, wants to kiss those alluring lips some more. But he can't. He has to let her go.

She's supposed to meet her father and their honoured guests in only a few minutes. And she can't show up all flushed and with swollen lips from their forbidden kisses.

"When can I see you again?" he asks, his voice rougher than he likes.

She likes it, though. He can see it in the way her bosom swells within the soft fabric of her dress as she inhales sharply.

"Soon," she then whispers. "Tonight. Meet me at... at the _stables_ ," she adds cautiously, but he understands.

Then he straightens his back, and, after throwing her one last smile, reaches for the sword leaning against the wall. And lets it drop audibly on the stone floor of the broad corridor next to them.

With well-practised swiftness, he and the princess glide out of the niche, and not a second later, he's on his knees in front of her.

"Stupid boy!" she scolds in a deliberately carrying voice. Her hands are on her hips, her poise radiating the aloofness of her status. "Your master should beat you up thoroughly for damaging his goods. Who is it? Tell me, boy, so I can report to him about this. You squires all look the same to me."

"It's… it's Sir Eret, Milady," he mumbles awkwardly, not daring to look up at her. But he can imagine the artificial sneer on her face, knows how she _has_ to look in case anyone witnesses their little play.

"Sir Eret, you say? Wonderful! I will tell him right away. That's going to make for an entertaining dinner conversation. Now, out of my way, cretin."

"Yes, Milady."

He hurriedly scrambles to the side, head lowered almost to the ground as she floats past him. The mayweed scent of her perfumed dress wafts over him, and he inhales it deeply. He stays hunched on the ground for a couple seconds more before he dares to lift his head and gaze after her.

In the distance, he sees her wide dress disappearing around a corner.

With a sigh, he picks up the dropped sword and, after making sure no-one is watching, steps into the niche once more to retrieve the heavy helmet. Sir Eret's helmet, not his own.

If only it was his helmet…

If only he were a knight…

With a heavy heart, Hiccup walks away into the other direction. Toward the armoury, where he is to maintain his master's equipment. And toward the forge, where he has to mend the dents in the sword's scabbard before they get noticed.

Because no-one can ever know that he loves the princess. All those knights courting her would beat him bloody if they knew. And her father would behead him on the spot. Their love has to stay a secret at all costs.

But he loves her anyway.

* * *

 **(So... I'm still not sure what to make of this. It was just a spontaneous idea, and from popping up in my mind and publishing it here, it took like... two hours...)  
**

 **Added: So, yeah... By now, this turned into a fully fledged story. You can find it here in my stories, and it's called _For The Love Of A Princess_. **


	2. That Smile

**A/N: Pre-canon - ~3 years before HTTYD1  
**

 **This story originates from a prompt I got, and thanks for that, I had a lot of fun writing this! It also turned out to be some kind of prologue for 'Astrid's Diary' in a way... Anyway, here, we're dealing with a 12 years old Astrid, and I imagine she became a bit more bitter during the years between this and HTTYD1. You might want to keep that in mind...**

* * *

 **That Smile**

Astrid stared down at her hand. Her _bandaged_ hand!

 _Just a cut_ , she reminded herself. _It is just a cut, nothing serious_. But it could have ended worse. So easily the hand could be broken, useless for weeks, or, even worse still, damaged beyond repair. And the same could go for her axe, for that matter. It, too, could be broken beyond repair, and she still didn't know whether Gobber would be able to fix it.

It's only fun when you get a scar out of it.

Yeah… right…

She snorted, and began to unwrap her hand. It was time to apply the ointment to actually _prevent_ a scar from showing, and Gothi should be here any minute now anyway, to inspect the wound. The cut didn't look too bad, in her opinion at least. Not swollen or throbbing red and hot. A relieved sigh escaped her, and she looked around in embarrassment, surprised by that herself. Emotions made one weak, and she couldn't effort to show – to _have_ any of those, ever. But, of course, she was alone in her parent's house. Nobody had witnessed that slight lapse.

But then, what did it matter? _Everyone_ had witnessed the other, far bigger lapse a week ago. And even though it really hadn't been her fault, she still was ashamed of what had happened.

There had been another dragon raid, as usual, and although she and the rest of the village's youths were training weapons and fighting for years already, she was still only allowed to take care of the fires.

That was so _unfair_.

She wanted to _fight!_

And she had fought… Just like so many times before, she'd grabbed her ax instead of a water bucket, and had headed out, looking for a dragon that was foolish enough to get near Astrid Hofferson! She'd already chased away a few Terrible Terrors before it had happened. She'd seen Hiccup running in her direction, another one of his cursed gadgets in his arms, and, for just a moment, she'd thought about stopping him and sending him back to the forge where he was supposed to be. But she hadn't. He, too, only wanted to fight, even though he wasn't allowed to. Just like herself. She'd caught his eyes while they were running toward each other, and they'd both nodded, silently agreeing to pretend not to have seen each other.

It was all that was left of their former friendship, these silent agreements now and then.

Only two years ago, things between them had been different. They'd been friends, real and honest and true friends. But then they'd turned 10 winters old, old enough to start their official training in weapons and fighting, and everyone had attended to that. Snotlout and Fishlegs and Tuffnut and even Ruffnut, although, as a girl, she wasn't bound to do so. But just like Astrid herself, Ruffnut had learned how to fight, just like everyone else. Everyone but Hiccup. Because he was too scrawny and weak, and his father hadn't allowed it…

Before that, Hiccup had been a part of their gang and amongst them all, he'd been by far her closest friend but after that, everything had changed. He'd begun to work in Gobber's forge then, and it had changed _him_. He'd become quiet and reclusive, had begun to avoid them, had avoided _her,_ even though she still caught him throwing her these strange glances now and then. It was then when Snotlout and the rest had started to treat him differently as well, almost like an outcast, though why Astrid hadn't ever been able to understand. Not everyone needed to be a warrior. There were other jobs to do as well. They also needed fishermen and craftsmen of all kind, and being a blacksmith surely wasn't the worst one could do these days.

Although… Astrid had to admit… She _hated_ that he'd started working there! Because ever since he'd done so, they weren't friends anymore. Not like they'd been before. It had started gradually. He'd acted odder and odder from week to week, had been evasive whenever she tried to talk to him up to that point where she'd caught him sneaking out of the forge through the back door just to avoid meeting her.

It had _hurt_ … And did so still, even though she was used to it by now, and hardly ever acknowledged it. Sometimes, she allowed herself to think about him though, about how she missed their friendship, his kind eyes, his always ready smile and his dry comments. But those were all gone now, and all that was left were his bitter remarks to everyone and their occasional silent agreements on the battlefield.

But those at least worked well. Even on that day one week ago, it would have worked well. They would have run past each other without interfering with each other's plans. If only Snotlout hadn't been there…

Oh, sure, he'd had a right to be there at the well, filling his water bucket. He'd had a right to turn and run toward the burning house across the town square. It hadn't been his fault that he'd collided with both of them just when they'd been about to pass each other. He wasn't to blame for her axe to fall to the ground and splinter, and he wasn't to blame for Hiccup's contraption to land on her hand, either. But she _wanted_ to blame him. Nothing of this would have happened if only Snotlout hadn't _been_ there. Not her broken ax, not her injured hand, and not the telling-off she and Hiccup had gotten afterwards for disobeying direct orders.

And yet she knew she would do it again. And so would Hiccup.

Astrid allowed herself a small smile at this thought. Maybe they weren't friends anymore, but they still were the same in a way. And it made her angry on his behalf when she thought about how rude and mean everyone treated him lately. He just tried to help. In his own, strange, unvikinglike way, and, admittedly, he yet had to come up with anything useful, but at least he _tried_! He wasn't allowed to even practice fighting, and yet he tried…

She threw another glance at her hand, and another small smile tugged at her lips. If she would keep a scar from this, at least it would be a reminder of her former best friend in a way. And of her luck. This invention of his could have smashed her hand, she knew that very well. She'd tried to lift it, but it had been far heavier than she'd thought it would be. To think, Hiccup had carried it that easily while running and dodging… There really was more to him, more than anyone could see. Maybe, someday, people would recognize him as the strong, brave, intelligent, and kind person she knew was in there somewhere. And maybe, someday, one of his inventions would actually work…

A knock tore her out of her reverie then, and she made an effort to pull herself together again. No need for Gothi to notice the emotional turmoil she was in, if one wanted to call it that. She wanted to become the best warrior Berk had ever seen, so she would need to leave these emotions for other girls. She would need to be strong, stronger than any man, and she would not let herself get distracted from her goal.

She stood up, cradling her injured hand in her other one, and walked over to open the door for the tribe's elder. The sooner she got this over with the better. She wanted to redress that wound as soon as possible and return to her chores, do some endurance training or whatever, do _something_ to keep her thoughts from returning to a certain pair of green eyes. But she had no luck today…

"Uhm… Astrid, hey! Hi, Astrid… hey… Astrid…" Hiccup stammered, looking everywhere but in her direction. "I-I just… wanted to-to bring your axe back. I… was heading here anyway… had.. stuff to do, you know… over there, and… and…," he broke off, and Astrid averted her eyes, trying to hide the blush that was about to rise in her cheeks. Normally, she was in better control of herself, but seeing him now, unexpectedly, after she'd just thought about him…

"Anyway…" he continued a few moments later. "I… just wanted to bring your axe. I fixed… uhm… It's mended, and sharpened as well, so you… erm… can use it again, when…," he gulped. "When your hand's better, I mean. I'm… so _sorry_ for that, really. I'm sorry."

At that, she looked up at him after all, and found him looking at her as well, pleadingly. So he was blaming himself for her injured hand? Ah, but of course, he would. He was that caring and kind person who would always find a way to take the blame, even though it wasn't his responsibility or fault.

Hesitantly, she took her beloved axe out of his hands, careful as not to touch him. "Thank you, Hiccup," she said wholeheartedly, and gave him the brightest smile she could come up with. "Thank you for everything!"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! ;)**

 **And even though the story isn't new, I still read and appreciate every comment! ;)**


	3. How To Gather Your Courage

**AN: RTTE canon-verse - After _Twintuition_  
**

 **This one is about what I think happened inside Hiccup's head after 'Twintuition' and what led to the events of 'Blindsided' thereafter. It references back to** _ **That Smlie**_ **, but I don't consider it to be a sequel. More like another short story that work within my headcanon-verse. I hope you'll enjoy. :)**

* * *

 **How to gather your courage**

Hiccup stood at the top of his favorite cliff, and stared down at his hand. The hand that had caught her…

He still could hardly process what had happened. He'd been successful. Finally, this one error, this one mistake he had made so long ago, was set aright.

He'd made so many mistakes in the past… He'd failed on so many fronts, he could hardly remember them all. Some, he'd already corrected while others still needed his attention. But this…

His hand started to shake, and he balled it into a fist. It wasn't weak. _He_ wasn't weak! He had caught her, had reached her in time and had held on to her, had safely brought her down to the ground. He had made amends for his failure all these months ago.

These memories had haunted him for so long now. In one moment, Astrid had sat behind him, holding on to him. Then Toothless had moved so fast to evade that rock, and in the next moment, Astrid had been gone. When he closed his eyes, he could still see her falling, plummeting down toward the ocean below them. If only… If only there would have been _just_ the ocean. He could have picked her up so easily then. But no, Ryker had been there, had caught her before he had been able to reach her. He hadn't been fast enough. He'd _failed_ her…

From all the mistakes he'd made lately, this was the one he regretted the most. Of course, losing Berk's gold had been bad. Letting his father down, _again_ , and putting the whole Hooligan tribe into jeopardy - it was _inexcusable_. And yet, that incedent hadn't bothered him as much as failing to reach Astrid in time. And then, he'd gotten the gold back by now anyway.

The fact, that Viggo still had the Dragon Eye… That was another topic altogether. For a very long time now, he'd thought this was what kept him away from her, his duty to set this right. And it was true, he still needed to do something about this situation. But he didn't feel bound to put all his energy and time in that. Not anymore.

Because this time he'd reached her in time.

He closed his eyes, and the memory of her falling and getting caught by that chain was replaced by another one. It was replaced by the memory of hands clasping around wrists, of the tugging sensation in his shoulder when he'd suddenly carried her weight as well, of the desperate need to just hold on to her, and of her grateful smile afterwards. That smile…

For so so many years now, her smile was what kept him going in the darkest of times. He'd seen it only from afar for such a long time, had watched her from the distance. Admittedly, she hadn't smiled much back then, though when she did, it had been amazing. Like when he'd returned her ax to her home after mending it.

And then, everything had changed because of Toothless and the other dragons. She'd smiled so much more then. Over time, her smile had changed though, and, retrospectively, he couldn't say when exactly it had happened.

At some point, she hadn't just smiled anymore, she'd started to smile _at him_. When she'd decided to stay on Berk and train a new group of riders, he'd thought he'd lost his chance for a while, but she'd returned. She'd returned, and he had begun to hope.

And then, before he'd had the chance to _act_ on that hope, he'd failed her…

Many things had happened since then. Many things that now made him hope she might feel the same for him as he felt for her, even though the guilt over his failure had kept him from actually _doing_ anything. Even after his lapse, when he'd feared for her life because of the Scourge of Odin, he'd kept his distance. Because no matter what, he'd failed her. If he couldn't protect her, then he wasn't worthy of her either

But now…

He stared at his hand again, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. Now, he'd made it up to her. This time, he'd been fast enough.

And this time, nothing would keep him from doing what he'd wanted to do for such a long time.

Now, all he needed was the perfect moment…


	4. You Could Stay

**AN: RTTE canonverse - Between _Blindsided_ and _Shell Shocked_  
**

 **This is another fluffy oneshot I wrote after a prompt about "A First Night Spend Together". There is one obvious plot for such a prompt, but I didn't feel like writing that one. If you're looking for a nice and flussf _First Time_ , I recommand reading _Crossing The Line_ by ladyamethyst21. This story here is more T-rated, because I think, at this point, their entire relationship is pretty T-rated ;)  
**

* * *

 **You Could Stay**

"…and then, hopefully, we can confront Viggo without any further interruption," Hiccup said excitedly. "With you and me and Toothless, he'll have no choice other than to hand back the Dragon Eye! That's it! We did it!"

He walked around the table, still staring down at the model with all those tiny figurines and notes, and ran his hands through his dishevelled hair. "That… that really could work!" He looked up at her, eyes gleaming, and Astrid couldn't help but smile back at him.

But, Odin, she was tired!

They'd spend _hours_ in his hut now. This morning, Heather and Dagur had shown up, and had asked for some help on Berserk Island. There were boulders to be blown up, and a lot of useless wood to be burned down. Ruins of former houses that needed to be removed before new ones could be built. Of course, with Windshear and Shattermaster they would have been able to do all this on their own, but when it came to blowing stuff up and burning things down, nobody was as efficient as Snotlout and the Twins.

Hiccup had been reluctant to go, though. During the past few days, they'd begun to work on a plan to confront Viggo, and he wasn't exactly keen on the idea to interrupt that. Not now, when they were finally making _progress_.

In addition, Heather, who always saw more than anyone else, had only needed one glance at them, at the way Astrid and Hiccup looked at each other, to _know_. She had come up with an idea that suited everyone. She'd suggested for the two of them to stay at the edge and keep planning, while the rest came with them to Berserker Island. Again, Hiccup had been reluctant to agree, though. He still felt like it was his responsibility to watch over the Twins, even though they were hardly the troublemakers they once had been, and Heather had already proven her capability to reign them in, anyway.

It hadn't been hard to convince Fishlegs to go with them. Meatlug could be of great use in removing rubble, too, as well as producing Gronkle Iron for later use, and Fishlegs' knowledge of architecture would also be helpful. And then, he was excited to spend a few days with Heather anyway. So the Berserk siblings had stayed for lunch, and afterwards, all their friends had left Outpost Island. None of them had thought twice about it, except Heather, who'd winked at her once. And why should they? This wasn't the first time she and Hiccup were all on their own, after all. They'd been on regular scouting patrols together for four years now, this was no different. Except, it was! Because Hiccup had kissed her after she'd regained her sight, and now _everything_ was different!

Although, not _that_ different… After their friends had left, the two of them had returned to Hiccup's hut, just like on all the other days before, and had brooded over their plan to finally get the Dragon Eye back from Viggo and Ryker. After those first awkward days of their relationship, they'd been able to work out some kind of routine by now. It wasn't like they purposefully wanted to lie about their relationship to their friends. But being together was awkward enough even without the ever-prying eyes of Team Snotnuts, so they hadn't said anything yet. Instead, they'd tried to concentrate on their plan, which would have been entirely impossible with always one or more of their friends around, always trying to catch them doing things they weren't supposed to do.

Astrid watched Hiccup as he now went over their plan once more. Their plan to gather every single available dragon rider, pair them into small groups, and attack Viggo's outpost in one strategical assault. He was enthusiastic about it and with good reason. This was a good plan, and Astrid liked it all the more because of the way it had come to pass in the first place. This plan combined both their assets perfectly, her knowledge of fighting and how to best use the different skills to their advantage, and Hiccup's strategic mind to combine it all into one executable plan. They were good together!

She raised her hand to cover her mouth as she yawned. It was long past nightfall, surely past midnight as well, and these had been many long hours with this to her rather unfamiliar activity of planning and discussing. She was tired, but it was different from the fatigue she was used to. Normally, her body told her it had had enough activity for one day and needed rest. But, clearly, that wasn't the case today. No, today it was her mind that was tired. Her head felt like it was filled with wool, and thinking became harder. She really needed to go to bed!

Astrid stood up, and walked over to him, to say goodnight and, maybe, steal a kiss and embrace. She liked these little gestures, these proofs that, finally, they weren't _just friends_ anymore. It had taken a long time to reach this point, and even these little things were still so new, so meaningful. They hadn't kissed often so far, not _real_ kisses at least. These playful pecks of their youth didn't count! Kissing wasn't something that came naturally to them, and with all the work they had around the Edge and with this plan… Well, every single one had been a highlight so far, the one he'd given her that day at the stables, the one she'd stolen early in the morning a few days later when they'd met in their clubhouse while everyone else was still asleep, that first, deep goodnight kiss they'd shared a few days ago, and the others on the days after that had been far more cautious than that first one.

"Hiccup?" she addressed him self-consciously. Dammit, why was her usual confidence not working around him anymore? This was Hiccup, the same Hiccup she'd happily punched or embraced without further thought. Why was this so hard all of a sudden? "I think, we've been through this enough times now. It's pretty late so…" she trailed off, hoping he would react, look up at her, maybe even offer to walk her to her hut. Not that that was _necessary_ , but it was nice. Walking together, even if it was just this small distance, was nice. It was a way of getting rid of all these important thoughts about plans and tactics, and, for that short time at least, just thinking about each other, of them being together.

But Hiccup didn't react. He just grunted distractedly, and reached for one of the small figurines to adjust its position.

"Hiccup, I'll go now. It's late and I'm tired," she tried anew. "And I wouldn't want to fall off the bridges later," she added half-jokingly. Maybe she would at least get him to laugh if nothing else.

But, again, there was no reasonable reaction. He just nodded, and reached for another figurine. "'As you wish," he murmured absentmindedly. "You know you could stay, right?"

Astrid had turned, resigned to leave without a kiss that night, but then stopped dead in her tracks, thunderstruck. What had he said? She whirled back toward him, to stare at him, dumbfounded. But he still didn't react, and just leaned heavily on the table, engrossed in his thought.

"What?" she asked aloud. Surely he hadn't meant that like it had sounded, right? Her heart was racing at the mere thought he could… could have implied… But no! Surely, he hadn't! Not that she didn't… want to, but… Freya, they'd only _kissed_ a few times so far! She knew Hiccup well enough to know that, if she had to decide now, she would choose to stay with him for the rest of her life, but… Hel, that didn't mean…

She felt herself blushing as she stared at her boyfriend. Even this term was still so strange! How could he say something like that, and be completely unperturbed by it? But then... he _wasn't!_

In one moment, he was still looking thoughtfully down on the table, and in the next, he stiffened, flinched, and slowly, very slowly, turned toward her.

"You're not Fishlegs."

She blinked at him, uncomprehendingly. Why was he staring at her like she was a ghost, some terrifying monster to haunt him? And of course, she wasn't Fishlegs!

"Do I _look_ like Fishlegs?" she asked angrily, her eyebrows drawn together. If this was supposed to be some joke then it wasn't a funny one! But Hiccup back-paddled, eyes wide, and hands raised to ward her off or calm her down, she wasn't sure which one.

"No! No, of course not! It's just… I-I'm not used to you… being here, I mean," he took a shaky breath, and gulped. "I mean, normally it's Fishlegs with whom I'm working through the nights," he explained more coherently. "And more often than not, he stays. Sleeps on the floor, over there…" He gestured toward the corner where his small workshop was, and where the heat of his forge outside provided a comfortable sleeping place. For being on the floor.

Astrid relaxed. So, he hadn't implied… hadn't asked her to spend the night with him after all. "I see…" she whispered, and averted her eyes. Dammit, why was she disappointed now? "That… makes more sense… I think. More than me… here…" she broke off, and bit her lip. Not, that she wanted to actually have… have sex with him… She wasn't ready for that yet! But staying? Sleeping next to him, warm in his arms? Why was this thought so appealing all of a sudden?

 **. o O o .**

"That… makes more sense… I think. More than me… here…"

"No!" Hiccup agreed hastily. "No, that wouldn't…" Mortified, his gaze wandered through the room. Thor, how could he have been so stupid? Ask Astrid if she wanted to stay? Wanted to spend the night here? In his hut? With him? Not that he wouldn't want her to, but… Gods, she was _Astrid Hofferson!_ The fact that she was here, now, with him, was incredible on its own. He still could hardly believe that he really was this lucky! And, of course, he wanted her to stay, had dreamed of barely anything else for years, but, oh Gods, he couldn't tell her that! He still barely dared to get close to her, even though she seemed to like it. And he wanted… Oh, Thor, he _wanted_ her to stay. Not… not like _that!_ But… But he wanted… "But I want..." Holy Helheim, had he said that out loud? He bit his lip, and cautiously glanced at her, whether she'd be angry. Gods, she would have every right to be…

But she wasn't… "You want… what?" she asked quietly. Too quietly maybe? Gods, he was dead.

"Nothing!" he said hastily. "I… nothing… really!"

She dropped her head, and nodded slightly. "You… want me to go, then?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes! Ahm… no! I…" Gods, he wished he could see her eyes right now, wished he could guess what she was thinking. He didn't want her to go…

"You… You could stay… if you want."

It was a risk! It was a risk, and he knew that. But he really, truly didn't want her to go! This was too perfect. With all their friends gone, nobody would ask any annoying questions in the morning. And it was not like he wanted to… to have… Not now, not tonight, not… not _really!_ But he wanted to be with her, to hold her, to kiss her more than just once before they parted. _Oh, Thor, please, let her stay!_

"Okay," came her quiet answer, and she looked up at him again. Her expression was cautious, maybe even a little frightened, but there was this gleam in her eyes. A gleam that spoke of excitement and anticipation, and his heartbeat quickened. She made one hesitant step toward him, but then stopped, insecurity clear on her face. He gulped once, and then made a decision.

She had chosen him. She had chosen to believe in him, back then when she'd first found him with Toothless in the cove, had chosen to follow his lead when he'd started to train dragons for Berk's aid and when he'd decided to fly out and look for new land all these months ago. She had chosen to stay at the Edge, had chosen to return after she'd instructed the A-Team. A few days ago, she'd chosen _him,_ and now she had chosen to stay. That had to mean something… Up until now, there had been only one living being whom he trusted completely, around whom he had never felt the need to act out anything he wasn't. One being who wouldn't judge him, and, in return, also trusted him completely. Toothless had given him the confidence he'd needed to become the person he was now, but if he wanted to go on, he probably would need more. Another person with whom he could be himself, and more confidence as well. And she had chosen him…

He took a deep breath, and made two quick steps with his long legs toward her, startling her, and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her hair. It was another risk. Maybe he was too forward. Maybe she would push him away and leave, for now, or for good. If she did that, he wasn't sure how he would go on, _could_ go on, but he needed to take it anyway. They stood at a threshold, with their lives in constant danger, fighting almost every day, and with an uncertain future ahead of them. He didn't know whether their plan to attack Viggo would really work, or would end in a suicide mission. And they had already wasted so much time because of his failure, he didn't want to waste any more. Especially not now when they'd finally made up their minds. Theirs was not a relationship that needed time to grow, they already knew each other so well. All they needed was getting used to this new situation. Or so he thought at least… _Freya, please, let her think so, too!_ Either she would choose him again now, or he didn't really care what happened to him…

For an agonizingly long moment, nothing happened though. She was stiff as a statue in his arms, not moving, neither toward nor away from him, and not saying one word, not making any noise. Gods, if this should be the last time he would hold her…

And then he felt her hands through his tunic and leather armour. Not on his chest, not pushing him away, but on his back, holding him close, drawing him in. He gasped into her hair, the relief that washed through him almost painful. She had chosen him, _again._

A minute later, she leaned against him more heavily, and sighed. "I… really am tired, you know…" she mumbled reluctantly, and Hiccup chuckled shakily. He pulled back to look at her, and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Let's go to sleep then," He took her hand, and led her up to the higher platform where Toothless already lay on his customary stone. Tiredly, he opened one of his big green eyes when he heard them, his gaze wandering from him to Astrid and back again. He blinked once, and then closed the eye again, hiding behind his remaining tailfin. With a small grin, Hiccup shook his head at the dragon, and turned toward his nightstand. Out of habit, he loosened the bracers on his forearms and pulled them off before he turned to glance at Astrid.

She stood unmoving and pale, shaking slightly, and just stared unseeingly through him. Hiccup frowned. What was up with her? She wasn't usually timid like this, not even when it came to putting off their armour in the presence of one another. They'd done that on multiple occasions during the last couple years after all. Like, to go swimming, or at nights around the fireplace when they'd been on longer excursions. This wasn't any different.

Or was it?

He stepped toward her, his gaze questioningly. "Astrid?" he asked, and she flinched.

"I-I'm fine!" Her voice was shaking, and he saw her swallowing. "It's just…" she glanced up at him for a moment, and blushed. "I…" she shrugged awkwardly, and crossed her arms in front of her.

Hiccup watched her for a moment as her gaze wandered through the room, never meeting his eyes. She wasn't comfortable being here…

"Do you want to leave?" he asked calmly. If she wanted to go, he wouldn't hold her back. He wanted her to stay, but not if she wasn't at ease with it. He wanted her to be happy. Above all else, he just wanted her to be happy.

She bit her lip, and then slowly shook her head. "No," she whispered. "No, I - I don't want to leave."

Another blush spread across her face, and Hiccup finally understood. She felt just as awkward as he'd felt a few minutes ago, before he'd decided to not waste any more time. But he wanted this to work! Maybe he was pushing his luck, but he really, really wanted this to work…

"May I help with your armour then?" He tried to keep his voice level and calm, to not let his own nervousness show. He hoped that would help her to calm down as well. Astrid's eyes widened, but she nodded mutely, and Hiccup stepped closer to her, close enough to inhale the mayweed scent of her hair. _Oh, Thor, this is going to be interesting._ He thought dizzily, and carefully reached beneath her left pauldron to unclasp the buckle there. He knew how to put off her armour, after all. He'd _made_ it! Carefully, he lifted the leather and metal over her head, and placed it on the trunk beside them before he turned back toward her. And gulped, suddenly self-conscious after all. He hadn't thought this through! Her skirt? There was no way he could put that one off, too! But, luckily, he didn't need to.

When his eye met hers again, he noticed the change in her. She wasn't as timid as before anymore, her eyes gleaming, filled with a soft emotion he couldn't name. She stepped even closer toward him, stretched, and a moment later, her lips met his. He gasped in surprise, the sound lost against her mouth, before his eyes fluttered shut, and he kissed her back.

This kiss was way better than the ones they'd shared during the last days, better even than that first deep kiss three days ago, almost as good as their first. He felt her soft body beneath his hands as his arms curled around her waist, and he parted his lips as he felt her doing the same. Cautiously, he pushed his tongue out to meet hers, playfully, carefully exploring. He could lose himself in kisses like this one…

He wasn't sure how much time had passed when they parted, breathlessly. Seconds? Minutes? Years? He didn't care… All he cared about was the girl in his arms with her wide smile and brightly gleaming eyes.

"Can we do that again?" she asked, panting slightly.

Hiccup gasped, his lips twitching into a grin before he leaned in to kiss her again.

A part of his mind noticed how they got closer to his bed, how she kicked off her boots and shimmied out of her skirt, and how he, too, shrugged off his boot. Somewhere along the way, he'd even managed to get rid of his leather armour and fake leg, though he didn't remember how. All he remembered later was how he'd held Astrid Hofferson, the girl of his dreams, in his arms, how they'd kissed and cuddled for he didn't know how long, and how she'd finally fallen asleep, nestled into his arms and blanket, relaxed and with a smile on her rosy lips. He stared down at her, watched her sleep, and still could hardly believe how lucky he was. There was only one downside to this, but it was one he was willing to take.

He wouldn't get any sleep tonight.


	5. With Never A Fear Of Falling

**AN: RTTE canonverse - Between RTTE season 4 and 5**

 **Originally, this was not a One-Shot. But it's still short enough to count as one. This is my version of how Hiccup and Astrid ended up as 'betrothed' In RTTE Season 5**

* * *

 **With Never A Fear Of Falling  
**

„What are you going to do now?"

Hiccup flinched, and turned around to look into Snotlout's disapproving face. He hadn't expected anyone to drop into his forge, not today!

"What do you mean?" he asked artlessly, and turned back to his desk. Casually, he pushed the rough sketch he'd made just now beneath some loose papers, pretending to simply clean up his desk. He knew perfectly well what his cousin meant, had thought of little else for days now. And yet he had no answer. How could he have an answer?

"Astrid?" Snot prompted, and Hiccup could hear the annoyance in the other boy's voice. Because they were just that, boys. No matter how mature he might feel and how much they all played grown-ups out here at Dragon's Edge, he didn't feel… _ready_ for this. Sure, there was no doubt in his heart, but…

"What are you going to do about her? You can't make us act as if we don't know about you two _again_. Not now that we caught you, and she knows that we know."

Hiccup sighed, and rubbed his face. It would be so easy if they could go back to that state…

"I don't know, Snot. Okay? I just don't know! We can't openly announce to be a couple, either. If we would still live on Berk, there wouldn't be a problem. But her parent would never agree to let her keep living here if they knew…" He explained agitatedly. It wasn't that easy anymore. Sure, everybody had suspected them to be a couple already, even longer than they'd actually _been_ a couple, but still. Suspecting something or actually knowing it… those were two different things entirely.

"You're an idiot!" Snot declared as if it was the most obvious in the world.

"I-" Hiccup started, but broke off immediately. Of course, Snot was right. Berk's rules for unmarried couples were strict but simple. He just wasn't sure whether he was ready for that step yet.

"Man… you're pathetic!" Snot stated flatly, and gave him a matching glare. "But hey, keep brooding if you think that helps. Just remember, we plan to visit Berk in three weeks. And I won't pretend to think you two are _just friends_ any longer. And neither will Fishface or the Twins for that matter. You might want to make up your mind until then" With these words, Snotlout left the forge again, and left Hiccup in a despondent mood.

Because it was actually quite simple. An unmarried couple was allowed to slowly grow together, get accustomed to each other before any official arrangements would be made. But all this had to happen on Berk! Were the parents and literally _everyone_ else could make sure they behaved. Kissing was allowed, but that was it. Just kissing. Nothing more. And he and Astrid had already done more. So much more… No, if they were to announce their relationship officially, Stoick and Astrid's parents had no choice but to keep at least one of them on Berk, if only to keep up propriety.

Berkians were a reasonable lot though. Arranging a wedding took time, and not every couple was willing – or able – to wait that long. So a couple didn't need to actually be married to be allowed intimacy. They just needed to be betrothed. The later bride and groom just had to formally agree to get married, their parents had to give their consent, and the bride price had to be paid. That was all.

It was so simple. He wasn't ready yet to return to Berk for good, and he knew that Astrid felt the same. And by all means, he wouldn't let anyone separate him from her ever again! That left only one solution, one very simple and very obvious solution.

Hiccup just needed to propose to Astrid.

 **. o O o .**

It wasn't like Hiccup didn't _want_ to marry Astrid!

Gods, if there was one thing he'd been sure of for his entire life then it was that he wanted to marry Astrid Hofferson one day!

And it wasn't like he doubted her feelings either. She was strong and always knew what she wanted. And in addition, she was a Berkian, raised to the moral standards of their people that exceeded those of most other tribes. Hiccup knew she wouldn't have slept with him if she didn't want to spend her life with him as well.

Why then was this so hard? They'd already made their commitment, physically and irrevocably. They were one already, in all but name. And neither Stoick the Vast nor Osmund and Brenna Hofferson would refuse to give their consent or blessing, Hiccup was sure of that. The bride price was nothing but a formality anyway. It should be easy then, just talking to her about it, asking that simple question which's answer he already knew, and be done with it.

But it wasn't easy…

Because how did one ask a Valkyrie for her hand? How could a mere mortal like himself approach someone who, even by name, was beautiful and divine and perfect like she was? He needed it to be perfect! Nothing less than perfect would do, and he had no idea how to accomplish that.

"I can't do it!" Hiccup exclaimed and threw his hands up in exasperation. The sudden outcry woke Toothless, and the dragon lifted his head with an annoyed warble. "Yeah, I know, bud. I know. I'm annoyed at myself right now, too. But what can I do? I…" He ran his fingers through his hair, and kept walking up and down in his little bedroom.

It was long past nightfall, and under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be here anymore. Normally, he would lie in Astrid's bed at this time of night where there was no overly curious dragon to watch them and no other hut nearby either. Normally, he would hold her in his arms, kiss her or whisper sweet nothings into her ear before they would both drift off into blissful slumber. But Astrid had flown to Berserker Island, together with Fishlegs and the Twins, to help with some parts of their reconstruction. She wasn't here for him to hold her, so tonight, he would spend the time in his own hut for once again. She wasn't here, and that left him with far too much time to think, to ponder, and to drive himself insane.

No! No driving himself insane anymore! This was a riddle that needed a solution, nothing more. He could do it, he just needed to _think_!

"I need… a good place and time!" _Start with something simple!_ "Not just anywhere, and in between some chores or drills. And not where anyone can interrupt us," Hiccup started to make a mental list, and went on.

"And I need the first part of the bridal price, something personal, from me to her…" This was harder, but manageable. Hiccup had already had an idea for that a long time ago, he just needed to get it done. And he would need Fishlegs' help to find the right kind of stone. Right, not that difficult either. A light feeling of confidence bloomed inside him. Now, he just needed-

"Words… I need the right words," he mumbled, and sighed. He wasn't good with words, not when he couldn't use sarcasm. But which words did one use? He didn't want to just _ask_ , that was too simplistic. No, there had to be a better way.

Hiccup felt the sudden urge to ask his father for advice. There only had been a few occasions where he'd felt that way so far, but this was one of them. Because this was important! But, of course, he couldn't do that. He couldn't approach Stoick with the reminder of Valka… Hiccup had seen how his father had mourned his mother every year again, had seen the big man's tears, and had heard him sing that virtually beautiful love song in a low and sad voice, and-

Hiccup's eyes widened, and a grin spread across his face. He'd found the perfect words!

 **. o O o .**

"Is everything alright with you?"

Astrid watched Hiccup questioningly. He was paler than usual somehow, restless, and his breathing strangely irregular. She'd thought he might have caught a fever or something, but Hiccup denied that vigorously, said he was fine, that it was nothing. Yeah, right. As if he'd ever been able to hide anything from her. He might not be sick, but there obviously was _something_.

They sat next to a small lake on one of the outer islands, and enjoyed the warm sunlight and each other's presence. Normally, they would have had another day of training today, but Hiccup had been right. This was too beautiful a day to just attack scareships from varying angles. So they'd packed a small picknick, had left Dragon's Edge to their friends - who'd been surprisingly convincing in promising to behave for once – and had flown to where the wind had led them.

Astrid glanced at Hiccup once more, and a small smile tugged at her lips. Of course, she could guess why he was so agitated. Their plan to visit Berk in a few days had stirred up a whole bunch of unexpected emotions in her, and she guessed Hiccup didn't feel any better.

She didn't want to pretend anymore.

Keeping their relationship just to themselves had been nice in the beginning, their sweet little secret, but now… Now it wasn't a secret anymore, and that was okay. They had both made their decision some while ago, they might as well make it official. Astrid had planned to talk about it with Hiccup on the night before they were to fly to Berk, but it looked like Hiccup had another plan.

All of a sudden, Hiccup audibly cleared his throat, and tugged at her hand to make her look at him. She obliged, and had to bite back a grin at his flushed cheeks.

"Astrid, I-" he began, stammering. "I… there's something I want to… erm, to tell you…" he trailed off, blushing fiercely, and Astrid reached out to playfully nudge his shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked lightly. He obviously didn't need any more pressure, she might as well try to make it easier for him.

Hiccup took a deep breath, and threw her an unreadable look. "I want to tell you something," he said again, much calmer this time, and Astrid gulped at his sudden sincerity. "Yeah, tell you something... it… it's something I overheard my dad, erm, singing occasionally and… well, I thought it was, uhm, yeah…" he began to fidget again, his hands flying about in his usual endearing manner. "I… changed it a bit, though. Thought it would fit better to us that way." Hiccup threw her a small smile. "Oh, and, uhm, there's kind of a question in it so, ah, maybe you could…" he trailed off once more, biting his lip and averting his eyes.

"Hiccup?" Astrid asked carefully, her heart beating faster despite her having a good guess about where he was going. "Will you tell me?"

Hiccup swallowed, and nodded once. He reached beneath his leather tunic to pull out a small packet of loosely folded cloth and held it out to her while he began to speak.

Astrid recognized the song instantly, even though Hiccup had changed the lyrics as he'd said, and merely recited it instead of singing. It was the age-old song about love and commitment every Viking girl knew, even she, the weird warrior girl.

 _"_ _I'll fly and soar through stormy skies_

 _With never a fear of falling_

 _And gladly ride the winds of life_

 _If you would marry me._

 _No scorching fire nor freezing snow_

 _Will stop us on our journey_

 _If you would promise me your heart_

 _And love me for eternity"_

While he spoke, Hiccup unwrapped the small packet to reveal an ornate golden band with a large but flat stone sat on its surface. It was beautiful, the bluish stone marbled with streaks of gold, just like Stormfly's wings. How he'd been able to find that one was beyond her. Or would have been if she had cared at that moment.

But she didn't. She just gazed at him, mouth slightly hanging open, and touched by how much thought Hiccup had put into this proposal. She'd thought making it official would be just a formality.

But it was perfect. This song had always made her cringe a bit inwardly, but Hiccup's version was just perfect, for the two of them at least. Their realm wasn't the sea and the waves, but the sky and the wind. The obstacles they faced weren't linked to the weather, but to dragons who spat fire or, in case of the to her most abhorred Snow Wrath, ice. And it wasn't his journey he was talking about, but their shared one. Because they would always go together, no matter where the wind led them.

Swallowing hard, Astrid reached for the golden bracelet Hiccup held out for her, her fingers trembling. She had expected him to propose when he'd invited her to a day off this morning. But she hadn't expected all this.

"So, you've brought me a ring of gold," she whispered, running her fingers over the intricate pattern etched into the circular metal. "And you've sung me poetry," Well, sort of. "Does that mean, you'll keep me from all harm as well?"

A smile tugged at her lips when she saw his surprised expression at her knowledge of the lyrics. But then, he smiled as well, and reached for her hands to gently help her wrap the light metal band around her wrist. It was flat and tight enough to not be in the way, Astrid noticed. It wouldn't hinder her in any way, she could even wear it beneath her bracers. Her heart was swelling at how well-considered his gift was.

"No, I won't. I won't even try," Hiccup finally answered. "We'll face any danger together, no matter what. We're always better together."

 **. o O o .**

Yes, they would face any danger together.

Hiccup just hadn't thought of _this_ as dangerous!

He took a deep breath, and straightened his back. Now or never! He wished he could feel Astrid's hand in his right now, feel her reassuring warmth and presence, but right now, that was not possible. They'd already broken a lot of rules. This they would do the right way! Even if it meant that she was with her oblivious parents right now while he had to break the news to his father.

"Dad?" he asked, voice a little higher than he liked. "Could we, uhm, talk for a moment?"

Stoick the Vast turned around to give his son a measuring look. Then he nodded toward the table, and said: "Sure. Let's sit and talk. We haven't done that in ages since you kids are all busy with your Dragon's Edge. It's still standing?" Hiccup followed his father, and sat down opposite of him, his hands fumbling about nervously.

"Yeah, it's still standing though only barely. The volcano keeps causing trouble but we'll find a solution. I hope so, at least…" Hiccup swallowed, eyes fixed on his entangled fingers. "Dad, I… wanted to-to ask you something. No, _tell_ you something!" Stoick watched him carefully, and Hiccup became even more nervous under his father's scrutinizing gaze. "It's… I-I want to… to, erm… Well, the thing is…" he stammered, but the right words wouldn't come to him.

"Just spit it out, Hiccup!" Stoick prompted cheerily.

Hiccup gulped, and nodded, though he wasn't completely sure whether to himself or his dad. "Right! It's… I've chosen my bride!"

The room fell eerily silent in an instant, and even Stoick's mood seemed to have dampened noticeably. The only sound was Hiccup's rapidly beating heart, and the pounding blood in his ears as his father gave him a grim look.

"Well, then I hope it's the right one," Stoick said calmly. "Because I chose one for you, too, and already paid a bride price."

 **. o O o .**

Astrid, lass, are you alright?" Brenna Hofferson scrutinized her daughter, concern clear on her face. Astrid hadn't been able to sit still all day, not now while she ate dinner with her family, not earlier when they'd told their stories at the Great Hall, and not even while riding Stormfly on their way here. Because she was nervous.

There was no reason to be nervous, Astrid knew that. But that knowledge didn't help. Her parents had nagged her on so many occasions about when she and Hiccup would finally announce their relationship. Surely, they wouldn't be against it now, would they? No, they wouldn't, Astrid was relatively sure of that.

But what about Stoick? Would he accept her as Hiccup's bride? Surely, it wouldn't come as a surprise to him either, would it? And he liked her, didn't he? Respected her as a warrior? Surely, that would be enough? Unless he wanted Hiccup involved in a political marriage, he would be Chief one day after all.

Astrid chewed her lip, her hand with the spoon in it pausing somewhere between the bowl of stew in front of her and her mouth. She wasn't hungry. She couldn't eat anything right now. They should be here any minute now, shouldn't they? Or shouldn't they be here already? How late was it? What if they didn't come? What if… what if Stoick wouldn't give his consent?

"Astrid?" waved her mother's stern voice through the haze of her worries.

"Uh, what?" Astrid blinked at her parents, both watching her with an unreadable expressing before sharing a glance that made Astrid uncomfortable.

"What's up with you, lass? I can't remember you not eating your dinner like… ever! Are you alright? You look a little pale, you're not getting sick, are you?" Brenna came over to touch her daughter's neck and forehead, but Astrid brushed her caring hands aside.

"No, mum. I'm fine," she tried to reassure her mother. "Really! I'm just… tired! Yeah, tired. It was a long day." Astrid hesitated for a moment, and then added, "Maybe I'll just go to bed early today. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?" She stood up, and picked up her bowl of stew as well to put the untouched food back into the kettle. She had no intention to go to bed, but she couldn't stand to just sit and wait here any longer either. She needed to sneak out and look for Hiccup, needed to talk to him, needed him to tell her that they would find a solution even if Stock should be against their relationship.

With shaky hands, she washed her bowl, and reached up to place it back on its shelve when it knocked at the door.

CRASH!

"Shit!" Astrid cursed, loud and unashamed as she stared down at the shards on the ground.

"Tsk-tsk!" made Brenna, and came to help her while Osmund went to open the door. "You have to do better than this from now on, Astrid" chided Brenna, and threw her daughter a strange look. Astrid opened her mouth to ask what she meant, but got interrupted when her father opened the door.

"Finally!" Oswald boomed, drowned out by Gobber's distinct and cheery voice.

"Now that's what I call fine language!" The blacksmith snickered as he stepped inside, a barrel of mead under his arm, and winked at Astrid.

Astrid slumped down inwardly at Gobber's sight. He probably came to visit her father for a drink. Not what she'd been waiting for.

"Come in, come all in!" Her father beckoned to his other guests. Good! If her parents were busy, it would be so much easier to climb out of her window.

Astrid's gaze flickered toward the stairs at the back of the room. The sooner she could make an escape the better. And now, while her father was busy greeting his guests, was the perfect moment. Silently, she began to crawl backwards, away from her busy mother, and toward the stairs. She threw one last glance at her father – and stopped dead in her tracks.

Behind Gobber, Stoick entered her parents' house, followed by a widely grinning Hiccup. His eyes immediately locked on hers, and her heart made a painful leap at his sight. He was here. With Stoick. And he was not dispirited or anything.

"Are you still tired?" her mother asked with barely concealed humour in her low voice. Astrid gasped out a shaky laughter, and shook her head. No, she was definitely _not_ tired. "Then go!" Brenna nudged her playfully just as Hiccup stepped toward them, and reached his hands out for hers. Astrid let him help her up, her mind dazed and confused. He pulled her into his arms, right there in front of everyone, and Astrid first instinct was to shy away. Worried, her eyes wandered to her parents. Stoick might have given his consent but they still needed to tell her parents, wait for their answer, negotiate… But there was none of that, the four older Vikings already sat around the table, and chatted, laughed, and _celebrated_. Just as if-

 _Finally_ , her father had said…

Astrid's head whipped around, back toward Hiccup, her eyes searching his for confirmation.

"So, it's settled already?" She finally asked, just to be sure, and Hiccup chuckled shakily. He held her tight, and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Yes, it is," he whispered, so low none of the others wouldn't hear him. He swallowed, and slightly shook his head before he continued. "Guess what, they already knew. About us, I mean. My dad must have noticed something during one of his visits to the Edge and, well, they talked already, agreed on a bride price, and…" Hiccup shrugged, and Astrid retreated to stare at him.

"So, we're already betrothed?" She asked disbelievingly. "For how long? I mean…" She turned to stare at her parents, and her father had the audacity to wink at her. They'd known all the time, and hadn't said a word? Beneath her hands, she felt Hiccup shrug again.

"I don't know, for quite some time as it seems." He snorted, and added even lower. "But does it matter?"

Chuckling, Astrid shook her head. Then she reached up to bury her hands in his hair and pulled him into a kiss that was very far from innocent, and that earned them enthusiastic cheering from Gobber.

"Mmhh, what was that for?" Hiccup asked a little breathless after they'd parted, and Astrid snuggled closer to his chest.

"That was just because I can!"

 **. o O o .**

"So, practically, your's is an arranged marriage, negotiated and sealed by your parents without you knowing?" Snotlout barked out a laugh, and slapped his leg. "That's brilliant. Just brilliant!"

Astrid chuckled lightly to herself while she felt Hiccup shrug. "If that's how you want to see it," he mumbled, vaguely annoyed, but not really caring either way.

On their way back to Dragon's Edge, they all had decided to take it slower for once, and had taken a rest at Heather's former hideout. Now, the teens lounged against some treetrunks around a bristling campfire beneath the starlit sky, and, of course, their friends were annoyingly curious about Hiccup and Astrid's betrothal.

"And Astrid's bride price was a barrel of mead?" Tuff ask a little bewildered. "I would have thought you'd be worth mor- ouch!" Tuffnut rubbed his head where the pebble stone had hit him while Astrid snuggled back into Hiccup's arm with a smug smile.

"Of course, it wasn't!" Astrid could almost hear how Hiccup rolled his eyes as he said these words. "The mead was just to celebrate. Honestly…"

"Okay, but what was it then?" Snotlout interjected. "What's the price of one Astrid Hofferson these days? I bet I could have afforded you out of my petty cash!"

"Oh, cut it out, will you?" came Hiccup's irritated answer while Astrid just lazily "In your dreams, Jorgenson…" mumbled. It was weird, but Snotlout's remarks seemed not to reach her anymore. They just didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore when she could lie like this, cuddled against Hiccup's side with his arm around her shoulders, and without the need to hide anything anymore.

"Besides, what does it matter?" Fishlegs came to their aid, but Ruffnut just huffed.

"I would want to know what I'm worth to my future husband," she stated bluntly. "I hope mum and dad make a fortune when I get married!"

"That… was metaphorically spoken, right?" her twin asked, and they all could hear her exasperated groan. They all fell silent for a while, and Astrid began to draw random patterns on Hiccup's tunic-covered chest.

This was another point on her weird-list. How casually they could be close to each other all of a sudden. They were officially betrothed now which meant they were allowed to do pretty much everything. There was no need to hide anything anymore, no need to hold back. It felt weird, but so liberating!

"But why was Gobber there?" Fishlegs suddenly asked, picking up the conversation again. "Traditionally, it should have been your parents only, right?" At this, Hiccup chuckled, and Astrid couldn't help but smile as well.

"Apparently, Gobber insisted," Hiccup explained. "Said he raised me just as much as my dad did if not even more, and that's true. So he said as kind of my step-father, he had the right to be there for my betrothal as well. And also… ah, nevermind." Hiccup trailed off, and Astrid hid her grin against his chest.

"And also?" Tuff probed, but Hiccup didn't continue.

"And also," Astrid answered in his stead, a fond smile on her lips. "Gobber claims to have been the first to have noticed that there was anything between us."

"Honestly?" came Snotout's disbelieving grunt. "How could he have noticed before us? I mean, he wasn't even that often at Dragon's Edge. When does he say did he notice?"

Hiccup dug his head to place a soft kiss on Astrid's hair before he said: "When we were ten…"

The silence that surrounded them after this statement was more profound than the one before, everyone too stunned to reply. But it was true. Even at that young age, there had been something between them already. Tender and for a long time buried beneath prejudices and pretences, but it had been there, had endured and grown until it had become this intense bond that now connected them.

After several minutes of comfortable silence, Astrid shifted, and stretched in Hiccup's arms as he did the same until their lips met. It was a slow kiss, unhurried and lazy, just lips gliding, open-mouthed but without much heat. Just the reassurance that the other one was there, that they were together, and always would be.

"Oh, please…" Snoutlout groaned. "I changed my mind. If that's how you're going to behave from now on, I want to go back to pretending you're _just friends_."

But neither of them listened.


	6. For The Dancing and Dreaming

**AN: partially canonverse. Post HTTYD2 with the twist that Stoick survived.  
**

 **Okay, second upload for this collection today. With this one I'm through with my older oneshots, so tomorrow I'm going to upload a new one :)  
**

 **(This one was prompted by a picture I saw on Tumblr. It's called _For The Dancing and Dreaming_ by _Sheep Skeleton_.)**

* * *

 **For The Dancing And Dreaming  
**

Astrid was tired.

It had been a long day, and the days – no weeks – before hadn't been any better. Bringing in the last harvest, and stocking up the food stores before the first winter storm hit Berk had been hard work. Just like every year. And just like every year, there was a great feast on the day they were finally done.

Her gaze wandered through the festively decorated Hall and over the long tables laden with plates of food. The people of Berk really had outdone themselves this year. But then, they also deserved this night of celebration. It had been a few long months with not only restocking food for the next winter, but also with repairing the village after Drago's attack and reorganising the space on the island to accommodate the hundreds of new dragons that had settled here. It had been hard work, and this feast was just what they all needed now. A day to celebrate and to relax.

After taking a deep breath and letting it out again, Astrid leaned her head against the stone column behind her. Slowly, her eyelids closed and the music, the chatting, and laughing faded out into the background. Yes, this was a day to relax, and now she would do just that.

"Hey, Astrid," sounded Valka's deep voice to her ears, and she blinked a few times to fully wake up again. She was met by brightly gleaming green eyes and a weirdly familiar face that still unsettled her occasionally. "I wanted to thank you again for your help earlier. I'm not sure I could have recaptured those young Thunderdrums that quickly without your help," Valka said cheerfully. From the rosy tint on her cheeks, Astrid guessed that the older woman already had a mug of that heavy honeyed mead they only served on this special day. She would need to get herself a mug of that, too. Later.

"No problem, Valka," she answered with a tired smile. "Those were hardly the first baby dragons we had to recapture during the last years, and Dragon Racing is a surprisingly good training for that. And it's not your fault they escaped the stables and made a mess of everything. It was just... unfortunate today."

"Right. But I feel like I have a lot to make up to to the people of Berk, and taking care of the dragons in the stables shouldn't have been such a difficult task." She sighed, and seemed to want to say more, but got interrupted by a broad pair of arms that wound its way around her waist.

"There you are," the late Chief hummed against his wife's neck, making her giggle and Astrid look away as to not intrude on their moment. "I was looking for you. It's a little early in the night, but would you do me the honour and dance with me? It's been too long since we danced."

From the corner of her eye, Astrid saw how Valka turned in her husband's arms. "I'd love to," she replied happily, and they both walked away, leaving a smiling Astrid behind.

It was strange to see Stoick so happy. For nearly all her life, Astrid had only known him as a warrior, hard and unyielding. That had changed after they'd made peace with the dragons, but he'd still always been practical. But now that his long-lost wife had unexpectedly returned? Now, he seemed to be an entirely new man. Astrid's smile widened as she watched how Stoick whirled a laughing Valka around in time with the music, both lost in each other's eyes and not really noticing much of their surroundings anymore.

For a while, she watched the happy couple, how they danced amidst the crowd and how other couples started dancing as well, until her eyelids became heavier again. But before she could drift off again, someone placed a full mug of that honeyed mead in front of her. "Here, chuck. I figured you might want one of these before it's all gone," Eret said with a grin, and sat down beside her.

"Thanks," she replied wholeheartedly. "I wanted to get one myself, but I'm just so tired."

"Yeah, I figured as much. Did you get any rest at all today? I think I saw you flying around from one end of the village to the other all day."

"Yeah, it's been a crazy day," Astrid agreed and took a big gulp of the heavy mead. Almost immediately, she felt how the alcohol affected her fairly unaccustomed body and made her a little lightheaded. "First that emergency on dragon island, then those baby dragons, and don't even get me started on the twins getting ideas from them and continuing with the chaos. As if we didn't have enough on our table with the last harvest and the preparations for the feast." She sighed and took another gulp, enjoying how the strong brew made her body tingly and soft.

Eret leaned back and took a swallow from his own mug. "Right… I guess the Chief isn't back yet?"

"No, he's not," she said with yet another sigh. "I choose just the right day to chase him away to have a day off, didn't I? Well, at least he listened to me for once. I just hope he and Toothless had a good day that was worth all this trouble." She placed her empty mug back onto the table, and rubbed her face in an attempt to wipe away the fatigue.

"I'm sure he appreciates it. And I don't know if this is of any help, but I think you did a good job as his second in command."

Astrid lifted her head to give Eret a small smile, when yet another voice sounded over the room's noise.

"Indeed you did, lass," Gobber roared, slamming his nearly empty tankard of ale onto the table in front of her. "You did great, and now you've got to celebrate. May I ask for this dance, milady?"

Chuckling to herself, Astrid shook her head at her old mentor. He was swaying heavily, had to have drunk a lot already, and she didn't fancy getting buried beneath the broad blacksmith when he toppled over. "Maybe another time, Gobber. I'm too tired today."

"Too bad… Ah, well. I'll just have to be content with the second best choice then." Gobber winked at her – and then turned toward Eret instead. Before the tattooed man could react, he was getting pulled off the bench and toward the dozen-or-so dancing couples by a heavily drunk blacksmith. He didn't look exactly happy, but there was only so much he could do against being whirled around in time with the music, and soon accepted it as the funny joke it was meant to be – probably.

Astrid watched them with a grin, her head propped up on her arms atop the table. A part of her did want to go and dance, too, to simply let go for once after this strenuous day. But mead and fatigue made her body to heavy to move, so stayed where she was, bobbing her head with the music, and watched as more couples entered the makeshift dance floor. There was Ruffnut, shifting between dancing with Fishlegs and Snotlout, and Tuffnut gave an odd picture as usual as he whirled around with Chicken in his arms. It seemed so light and peaceful, and reminded Astrid of how all the hard work of the past months had been worth it.

Once again she was about to drift off into slumber, when two wiry arms wrapped themselves around her waist and an all-too-familiar stubbly chin brushed against her neck.

"Hey, you," she mumbled sleepily, and hummed as Hiccup placed a soft kiss on her jaw. "How was your day?"

"It was... _fantastic_ ," he murmured against her cheek. "I didn't know how much I needed that. Thank you!"

"Well, I know you better than anyone else, I guess," she replied, chuckling and cuddling into his embrace. "And that includes your as well."

"Yes, I guess you do." His arms around her tightened slightly as he pulled her closer to his chest. "And I love you for that."

Instead of an answer, Astrid turned to kiss him. It was just a calm brushing of lips against lips, but it was enough, said everything there needed to be said.

"So, do you want to dance?" Hiccup asked in a light voice once they parted. He nodded toward their friends and family, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly – even Eret.

Astrid hesitated for a moment, still so tired that she could barely feel her legs anymore. But Hiccup's radiant smile and his enthusiasm served to give her a second wind, so she nodded and let him lead her toward the dance floor.

"So, how was your day?" Hiccup asked as he twirled them around in time with the music, his arms around her supporting her tired legs effortlessly. He held her tight and safe, and Astrid couldn't help but feel completely at ease. Just like every time she found herself in his arms.

"Oh, the usual," she replied, smiling, and leaned her head against this shoulder as the music slowed down. "Chaos and dragons and never a minute's rest. But I wouldn't want it any other way."


	7. Into The Hidden World - For Leffie

**AN: Post canon - after HTTYD2**

 **A couple of weeks ago, leffie-draws-fanart on Tumble (I'm sure you've seen some of her art already, but if not go and check out her blog) posted another of her beautiful pictures, called _Into The Hidden World_. And somehow it tickled me…  
So, after talking to Leffie about it and with her permission, I wrote this little story to her picture. It takes place some months after HTTYD2.**

 **I hope you'll like it :)**

 **. o O o .**

 **Into The Hidden World**

"Okay, this is where that merchant and his crew said they'd seen the beast," Eret said, and pointed to a small group of islands at the southern edge of the map. Then he lifted a hand to ward off Astrid's complaints. "Yes, I know what you want to say. Those aren't exactly reliable information sources, and they aren't up-to-date either. But it fits to where you guys have clashed into it, and to the other sightings we've recorded, too. See? It's like it's following some line that leads directly to these islands. My guess? If that maniac really should have survived that fall, then he's hiding somewhere around there."

Slowly, Hiccup nodded. "It makes sense," he murmured, to Astrid's annoyance. He paused for a moment, but then seemed to make a decision. "Alright, I'll go and have a look. It's a bit of a distance, but if we hurry, Toothless and I should be back by nightfall, and–"

"The Hel you will!" Astrid interrupted him angrily. He looked up at her words, but at least he had the decency to not even _try_ to look surprised.

"Astrid, it'll be much faster if Toothless and I fly alone," he explained, brows furrowed. "And it's just a reconnaissance mission. I just want to see whether I can find Drago or his Bewilderbeast, and will return directly to get back-up in case I can locate them. I promise."

But she didn't buy his attempt at placating her. She knew him too well for that. "Right," she scoffed. "Just like that one day when you were _just looking_ for Viggo, and ended up almost getting killed when the Hunters shot Toothless down. Forget it! There's no way I'll let you go after yet another maniac who wants to see you dead all on your own. We're doing this together, or not at all." She was determined. She wouldn't let him risk his life like that, not ever again.

Hiccup's face softened, and he stepped toward her until he was able to lay his hand on her hips. "And I guess there's nothing that would convince you to stay here? Not even…" he trailed off, and let one hand glide to her front to rest over her toned belly.

But he'd guessed right. Nothing would prevent her from making sure that Hiccup and his skinny self would make is safely back to Berk. Not even the possibility of her being pregnant. They weren't even sure, yet. She was only two weeks late. "Together, or not at all!"

After another moment of hesitation, Hiccup nodded, and smiled defeatedly. "Okay," he conceded, and gave her a light kiss. The familiar scraping of his stubble made her feel at ease, and it made staying angry at him impossible. "Then I suggest you get Stormfly and Toothless ready while I get our packs and tell Gobber that he needs to take over for a day or two" he said quietly, and then turned to look at Eret.

The ex-trapper was discreetly inspecting his shoes as not to intrude on their intimate moment, but looked up again when Hiccup addressed him directly. "Eret, can you go and get the others? We're going to leave around noon. Make sure the dragons are all fed and rested, and everybody has their packs ready. We might as well turn this into a group excursion. You've practised enough to accompany us this time. Besides, I know Snot is dying to get some action again, and everything that keeps the twins occupied is always good."

"Aye Chief," Eret replied with a broad grin.

 **. o O o .**

"So, where are you kids going?"

Valka approached Astrid as she was about to fasten the saddle on Stormfly's back, a baby Nightmare in her arms and another one climbing over her back, as usual.

"There's been another sighting of the Bewilderbeast," she replied while testingly pulling at the belt around her dragon's belly. She refused to call it _Drago's._ As if that madman had any claim over a majestic beast like this. And she didn't believe that he was still alive anyway, not really. So far, they'd never seen him when they'd encountered the giant to chase him off of some village or other.

"Oh…" Valka had sobered up directly, face averted as if distracted by the baby dragon in her arms. "Do you... need me to come along?"

Astrid wasn't good at reading people, and Valka who was more used to interacting with dragons than with Vikings was even harder to make sense of. "You can if you want, but you don't have to," she finally said noncommittally. If it came to a fight every support would be useful, but Hiccup's mother had fought enough for an entire lifetime. Astrid didn't begrudge her the wish for peace and quiet.

"Mmh, I don't know," Valka finally said as she scratched the small dragon's neck. "Flying out would be nice, but the babies need me. Where are you going again? How long would we be gone?"

A small smile tugged at Astrid's lips, and she quickly turned back to Stormfly to hide it. Apparently, _peace and quiet_ could get boring, after all."The sighting has been around a group of small islands to the South," she explained. "Close to a dead volcano not far from Berserker Island. We might even have time to pick up Heather and Dagur on the way, in case Mala can spare him."

"What?"

Valka's voice had sounded weird, disbelieving and even a little frightened. Astrid frowned and turned toward her again – to find the older woman frozen mid-movement, her ridiculously big eyes even wider than usual. And she looked pale as a ghost.

 **. o O o .**

"You've got to be kidding me... Atali knew your mother _all along?_ "

From her usual place on Stormfly's back, behind and slightly to Hiccup's left, Astrid saw how he nodded at Snotlout's incredulous question. They were flying in the tight formation they'd used frequently back during their years at Dragon's Edge, allowing for sensible travelling speed while still flying close enough to be able to talk. Skullcrusher and Cloudjumper were a bit off to the sides as they were not used to flying so close to other dragons, but still using their wake to keep up.

"Yeah, it looks like it," Hiccup called back, turning slightly so that everyone could hear him as he told them what Astrid had told him earlier. There hadn't been time for that before. After Valka's revelation, they'd gotten going immediately. They hadn't even gotten around to change out of their comfortable day-to-day clothes and into more practical things, for Odin's sake. Hiccup still wore the Chief's fur cloak, and she herself hadn't had time to put on her fur-lined hood or her warmer arm bracers. She could feel the chill in the early spring air, but tried to ignore it and instead concentrated on Hiccup's explanation.

"It looks like that _'someone'_ Atali knew who would be able to take care of the king-of-dragons-egg was my mum. And the _king of dragons_ would be the Bewilderbeast. I can't believe that I haven't seen that before."

"Yeah, that's pretty embarrassing," Snot agreed, just as Tuff threw in, "You didn't? H, how could you've overlooked that? It's so obvious."

"Don't tell me _you_ of all people made that connection already," Fishlegs snorted.

"Well, no, I haven't. But then, it's not my _job_ to make these connections. Don't blame me if you're not-"

"Guys, guys, it's okay. Tuff is right," Hiccup interrupted them. "I should have seen it sooner. I should have asked Atali to whom she gave the egg. Or I should have asked my mum if she knew anything about the _king of dragons._ But I didn't. Frankly, I didn't even think about that egg at all anymore, with everything that happened back then. But what's done is done, we can't change it anymore. Now, we have to concentrate on finding the egg and it's mother before Drago does. We can't risk him getting his hands on another Bewilderbeast, one that might overpower Toothless in her urge to protect her baby.  
My mum said she lured the mother into the cavern system beneath these islands and then gave the egg back to her. So let's hope Drago hasn't found her yet and we can set a trap to finally capture him."

Astrid listened quietly through the entire conversation. She didn't like this development. So far, _capturing Drago_ had been nothing but a vague idea, some far-off goal for Hiccup to think about whenever he'd needed a break from the daily struggles of being Chief. As his wife and general, she'd supported, even _encouraged_ this search. Because she _knew_ Hiccup, knew that he always needed something bigger to occasionally occupy his mind. But deep in her heart, she hadn't expected that anything would ever come of it.

But now, it had become even worse. Not just that they'd found the trail of the Bewilderbeast again, it being near to where a second one would be only made it more likely that Drago was still alive and controlling it. Sure, it could be that the gigantic dragon was only looking for a mate, but somehow Astrid doubted that. Because it wasn't simply _a female Bewilderbeast._ No, it had to be a _mother_.

Almost against her will, her hand fluttered down to her stomach. She was only beginning to understand what it would mean to be a mother, to be responsible for such a tiny helpless creature. But she understood enough to know that this dragon mother would do _anything_ to protect her baby.

 **. o O o .**

When they reached their goal, one thing became immediately clear.

They were too late.

"Oh, shit," came Snotlout's very accurate remark when they broke through the clouds and the islands they'd been looking for lay directly in front of them. They were surrounded by chaos, and in a way Astrid felt like she'd had a horrible déjà vu.

There were two gigantic Bewilderbeasts, one black and one white, fighting against each other. The islands and the sides of the big volcano in the middle were covered in the same sharp ice shards that had destroyed Berk over a year ago. And there were dragons everywhere, fighting against one another without even knowing why.

There also were differences, but they didn't serve to make her feel hopeful. This white Bewilderbeast was noticeably smaller than the one at Valka's Sanctuary, and she was bleeding from a mean cut at her leg already.

Astrid's heart sank at that sight. Taking in the whole situation of a battlefield and deciding what to do and how to react was one of her specialities. But this one didn't look good.

"Hiccup," she called out to get his attention.

He turned, and she saw his devastated expression, the same that had to be on her face, too. He gave Toothless a subtle sign and was flying close by her side a moment later. "I know. But I have to do _something_." He gave her an apologetic look and she nodded shortly, mouthing a quiet _Be safe!_ before he flew off without another word.

"Okay, guys, we need to distract the dragons. The sooner we draw the attention of the Alphas the better," she said all business-like.

"And that's good… why?" asked Eret, clinging somewhat funnily to Skullcrusher's saddle.

"If they stop focusing on each other and on Toothless instead, he might be able to chase the big one off. That's what we did the last times, at least," she explained shortly. Then she turned her attention to Hiccup's mother, knowing that she wouldn't like to be involved in fighting dragons, no matter how indirect. "Valka? You go and look for the egg. Make sure it's safe." The older woman nodded, and directly flew off to one of the smaller islands farther west.

Grimly, Astrid turned her attention back to the chaos of fighting dragons. "You know what to do. Go!" she commanded, and was about to dive into the melee when Eret's voice held her back.

"And what if I don't know?"

Sighing, she rolled her eyes, but held back as Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Twins flew past her. "Just keep the dragons from fighting each other. Distract them. Fly between them, divert their attacks, whatever you can come up with. If they stop doing what the Alpha wants them to do, it's going to draw his attention sooner or later."

Eret gave her a look as if he thought her insane, but nodded hesitantly. Not wasting any more time, Astrid gave Stormfly a sign to follow the others into the chaos.

 **. o O o .**

There seemed to be no end. No matter how often Stormfly dove in to separate two fighting dragons, or how often she chased away two opponents with her Spineshots, there always seemed to be more. More dragons fighting, more dragons getting injured. More dragons falling…

Astrid had lost sight of her friends. They had to be around here, too, but she had no idea where. She didn't know whether Valka had found the egg, whether it was safe. She didn't know how Toothless was doing, only that he, obviously, hadn't succeeded yet. And she also didn't know whether Hiccup had found Drago.

That hadn't been part of the official plan, but she _knew_ that Hiccup would look for him. Even if she had tried to talk him out of that, or even to _forbid_ it, he would have done so anyway. All she could hope was that her gut would tell her if he was in any danger. So far, it had never erred.

And it didn't today, either.

She flinched slightly as she suddenly felt someone behind her, but could immediately tell that it was Hiccup. His arms slid around her waist – not only to have something to hold on to – and he pressed a quick peck into her hair in greeting.

"Afternoon, Milady. Do you have space for a passenger?" he asked cheerfully which served to somewhat ease her worries.

"Sure, but hold on tight. I see a Thunderdrum about to attack that Timberjack over there." He did as told, squeezing her tightly as Stormfly flew between the two dragons to divert their attacks and attention. "How's it going?" she asked once they had a moment to breathe.

"Fairly well, I'd say. The two big ones are close to focus their attention on Toothless, and he dropped me here before I can get between them. But these here are the last fighting dragons. It should be over soon."

"And what then? Have you found Drago? If you're right and he's still controlling the black one, then it won't be over until he's dealt with." _Oh, please,_ she prayed inwardly. _Please, let it be over…_

But she wasn't that lucky.

"No, I didn't find him," Hiccup said despondently. "I can't shake off the feeling that he's somehow behind all this, but there's no clue where he could be. Maybe his Bewilderbeast only came here for the female, after all."

Astrid nodded mutely. That had always been a possibility. She was about to ask whether they should fly and look for their friends when it happened.

Somewhere to the left of them, a big explosion separated another group of fighting dragons. Astrid turned her head in that direction just in time to see three Nadders bolting in their direction, but not to give Stormfly a sign to dodge them. The talons of the closest one missed her only by an inch, maybe less. She'd even felt it brushing her hair.

Hiccup, however, wasn't that lucky.

She heard a dull thump as the frightened dragon hit his head and then his low grunt before his hold on her waist loosened. She felt him slit to the side and off Stormfly's back, but it all happened too fast for her to grab him.

"No!" she screamed, uselessly reaching after him as Stormfly flew into the other direction, following the frightened Nadders. For an endless second, all she could do was stare after him as he plummeted toward the ocean. This was hardly the first time anyone of them fell off a dragon. Frequently, Hiccup even _jumped_ off Toothless, just to use his crazy flight suit. But usually, Hiccup wasn't unconscious when doing so.

Astrid only had this one second to decide.

Then she dove after him.

If he fell into the water, unconscious as he was, he would drown. Sure, if they hit the surface from this height, that might be both their fates, but she couldn't think of that now. Now, she had to somehow reach him. She _had_ to!

"Hiccup!" she yelled against the rushing air and the thunderous noise of the fights around them. "Hiccup, wake up! Thor-dammit, HICCUP!" He couldn't hear her, it was impossible. It was too loud around them, and that Nadder had hit him hard.

And yet, he opened his eyes.

He blinked, clearly dazed and not comprehending what was happening. She saw how his eyes found her, saw his confusion as he stretched one arm to reach out for her.

"Your suit," she cried. It was their only chance, the only thing that could save them. If he would use his flight suit to slow their fall…

Hiccup's eyes cleared as realisation hit him. Frantically, he fumbled about with the loops at his legs – but they weren't there.

Because there had been no time to change clothes.

"Shit!" he cursed, eyes searching frantically for something else, _anything_ else that could save them, and Astrid felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.

She felt fear.

She had almost reached him now, with her falling straight like a stick and his flapping cloak slowing him down, but what did it matter? Their hands were touching, but that wouldn't slow them, wouldn't soften the impact.

The last thing Astrid noticed was Hiccup's protective arms around her as they tumbled toward the sea.

 **. o O o**.

The next thing Astrid remembered was the cold. She was so _cold_.

Everything was dark and quiet. It even would have been peaceful, hadn't it been so damn cold.

Then the world began to return to her, and with it came the pain. There was a horrible burning sensation in her throat and her whole body felt battered and bruised. She couldn't even move, her body too heavy to react. And when a frantic voice was calling her name, it took her way too long to find back into consciousness.

"Astrid!" his urgent voice whispered into her thoughts. "Come on, Astrid, wake up!" There was a weird pressure on her chest, but she still couldn't react. She wanted to reassure him that she was fine, but somehow couldn't do so. "No, don't do that to me. Astrid, please!" he sounded desperate now. She felt cool lips against her own, then that weird pressure again, but this time, it seemed to dislodge something inside her.

Pain shot through her as the water left her lungs, coughing and gagging, as she rolled to the side and tried to sit up.

"Oh, thank Thor! You're alive," echoed Hiccup's voice into her dazed mind as if from afar. She felt his reassuring arms around her, holding her tight as she slowly regained her senses.

"Wha… happen'd," she croaked, wincing at her aching throat. She coughed some more, groaning quietly while Hiccup explained hurriedly.

"We fell into the ocean. Stormfly fished us out, but… but it took her a while to find us, and you… you were unconscious, and…" he trailed off, squeezing her tightly against his chest. "I thought I lost you…"

Astrid laughed shakily and regretted it instantly as the laughter turned into more coughing. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

 **. o O o .**

Some while later, she sat close to a burning campfire and was wrapped into Tuffnut's warm blanket. The one from her own saddleback was drenched. She was still shivering, but already felt much better.

Hiccup sat behind her, his arms pulling her against his chest to help keeping her warm. It was strange. He had been equally soaked by the ocean's water, but somehow had warmed up much quicker than her. Maybe because he hadn't swallowed what felt like gallons of the icy water…

Around them, their friends were talking, but she only listened with half an ear.

"What happened to the Bewilderbeasts?" someone asked. Eret maybe?

She felt Hiccup swallow. "They separated and are both gone. They're both still alive, that's something at least," he said, voice bare of any emotions. "Have you found any signs of Drago?"

From the corner of her eye, Astrid saw how Eret shook his head. "No," he said curtly. "Skullcrusher and I looked everywhere but found no sign of him. He must have gone with the Bewilderbeast, if he was even here."

Hiccup seemed to accept that explanation without any further comment. She knew how much he'd hoped to once and for all get rid of Drago. But it seemed as if their search would go on.

Across from her she saw how Ruffnut treated a mean burn on Snot's arm, but before she could start to worry for her friend, she got distracted by Valka. She kneeled down beside her and handed her a mug of some warm and acrid smelling liquid which she accepted grudgingly. The tea tasted even worse, but it helped to warm her up so she didn't complain.

"Is the egg safe at least?" Hiccup asked quietly, and Valka nodded with a smile.

"I only found old shells," she replied cheerily. "It must have hatched some while ago. I guess they were only still here to wait for the hatchling to grow a bit. But it looks like they're gone now. The other one must have chased them off. They'll be hiding deep down in the ocean now. The mother will know how to defend her child there. Besides, if Drago really is still with the dark one, then it can't dive that deep. They're safe."

Hiccup nodded, then turned his head in another direction. "What about the other dragons?"

"Nothing too worse," Fishlegs replied despondently. "At least considering the chaos in the beginning. Some... _fell._ But we were able to treat those who just got wounded. Nearly all of them are going to make it… I think. These islands provide enough food and shelter, and without someone influencing their minds, they should stay peaceful until they all can fly back to where they belong."

Again, Hiccup nodded. "Okay. We'll rest here for another two hours and then fly back." Everyone grunted in agreement, and then went to care for their dragons, leaving them alone. When they were all gone, his arms around her tightened and he buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Never do that again!" he whispered in a desperate tone.

Despite the seriousness in his voice, Astrid laughed shakily. "What, saving your life?"

"Risking your own while doing so," he corrected her. "Jumping off your dragon like that, that was _careless_."

She snorted. "Please tell me you see the irony of what you just said," she said flatly.

"Yeah, well, I have my armour with my flight suit on when I'm doing so," came his agitated answer. "But you didn't. You don't even _have_ one. Why did you just jump like that? You could have–" he broke off and swallowed. When he continued, his voice was nothing but a weak tremble. "You could have _died._ I can't lose you, Astrid. Not like this, not ever. I can't imagine a world without you, remember?" She _did_ remember, and it made her own agitation melt away in an instant.

Instead of yelling at him, as she'd felt like only moments before, she awkwardly turned around to look at him. "And do you remember that it's the same for me?" she asked softly. "You were falling into your death. And I can't live without you, Hiccup. I can't. Together, or not at all."

Hiccup stared at her for a moment, then took a shaky breath and leaned his forehead against hers. "You scared me," he whispered. He sounded so vulnerable.

"I'm sorry," she breathed back. She reached up to place her hand on his cheek. "I promise to be more careful the next time, if you promise the same."

Astrid saw how his lips twitched into an involuntary smile. "I promise."

For a few minutes, they were quiet. Occasionally, their lips met in light reassuring kisses, but mostly, they simply basked in their closeness. It took a while until either of them had gathered enough courage to ask the question that occupied both their minds.

"Do you think…" Hiccup finally asked hesitantly, lightly caressing her belly. "Everything's all right?"

Astrid closed her eyes and swallowed. She wished she could give him a more satisfying answer. "I don't know," she whispered weakly. "I… don't _feel_ any different. But nothing has changed, really. We'll still have to wait to know for sure." He nodded mutely, but she felt how he grew tense at the mere idea they could have lost the child they didn't even were sure of.

Casting about for something to distract them both, she caught up on something he'd said earlier. It was something she'd contemplated before already, but now seemed a good opportunity to bring it up.

"But as for your armour," she began, but Hiccup interrupted her directly.

"I'm not going to discard of it, if that's where you're going," he said determinedly. "It saved me way too many times, the flight suit especially. I rather wish you'd let me make one for you, too. That would–"

"Actually," she interrupted him with an amused smirk. " _That's_ where I was going." Her smirk widened into an honest grin when she saw Hiccup's confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"I want armour, like yours. Well, no, not exactly like yours, but… Well, as it seems, we're going to have a lot more fighting to do in the near future. And I just feel like… I don't know, like my normal battle outfit isn't doing it anymore. The hood is warm, but the wind keeps catching in it, and it really gets _cold_ sometimes. I don't like the cold, have I ever mentioned that?"

"I think that might have come up that one time on Glacier Island," he said teasingly, rubbing her bare arms to keep the cold at bay. He looked far more relaxed now, his eyes expectantly on her, so she continued.

"I want something more practical, more… more _streamlined_. Something that doesn't get caught in the wind all the time. I'm not sure whether I really want a flight suit, but," she trailed off when she remembered Snotlout's burn from earlier. "Oh, and maybe even something fireproof. I mean, I'm not riding a Nightmare, but being around dragons all the time also means the occasional burn, especially in the heat of a fight."

Hiccup's expression had turned into a cheeky smirk by now. "Is that all?" he asked, eyebrows raised. "Practical, warm, fireproof. And I bet it's supposed to also look splendidly? Reflect your personality and underline your badassness?"

"Well..." she made hesitantly. She surely wouldn't say no to all that, but somehow, he seemed to be in a far too good mood all of a sudden. As if he wasn't taking her seriously, was making fun of her. But before she could say any more, he burst out laughing.

"Oh, Astrid, I love you. Did I ever tell you that?" He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and then nuzzled her neck until she giggled, too.

"Hiccup, what–"

He didn't let her finish. Instead, he leaned down to kiss her, still occasionally laughing against her lips. When he retreated, he had that lopsided smile on his face that she loved so much. "Astrid, I was just waiting for you to agree to wear such an armour. I've been thinking about it, you know? Especially the _fireproof_ -part. If we reinforce the leather with discarded dragon scales and in addition treat it with Eruptodon saliva, then it should be able to protect us from any burns, at least for a while. I already made plans for armour like this for you. Actually, not just for you, but for everyone else, too. You're right, these fights are becoming more dangerous, and we need to be prepared for that. I–" he paused, his hand dropping to her belly once more, and a softer smile spread across his face. " _We_ just need to find a way to make it fit for as long as you want or can fly, but that should be manageable."

Astrid gaped at him, dumbfounded. But, of course, she shouldn't be surprised. This was _Hiccup_ , after all. With a small smile, she remembered what he'd said on that day all those years ago, the day she considered to be one of the most important of her life.

 _"You're right, you're right. I-I'm through with the lies. I-I've been making… outfits! So, you got me. It's time everyone knew."_

Instead of an answer, which he clearly seemed to expect, she pulled him down into a deep kiss, fully intending on robbing him of his senses for the moment. When they parted again, gasping, he blinked a few times, dazed, and then threw her a bemused look. "And… what was that for?"

Astrid grinned, and replied, "That was for always staying who you are."

 **. o O o .**

 ** **So, that was that :o) I want to point out that I had already planned for this story to end on a conversation about armour for Astrid when the pictures of HTTYD3 were released. So I freaked out a bit when I saw them all in dragon armour and simply _had_ to implement the more detailed conversation here. :)****

 ** **As always, comments are always welcome! ;)****


	8. A Long Day

**AN: canon-verse...-ish...**

 **So, this just popped up and... needed to get out of my head.**

 **Warning of feels... I guess... :|  
**

 **. o O o .**

He remembered the day it all began. He remembered how the wind in his face turned into weightlessness, how joy turned into despair and then… nothing.

He'd watched her all his life, for so long from afar and for far too little time at close range. But on that day, him watching her became different. And that day never seemed to end.

On that day, he watched her cry after she got the news. He watched her cry, alone in her room, and wanted nothing more than to go to her and wipe away her tears. But he couldn't.

On that day, he watched as she received the symbols, his fur coat and the coal mark on her forehead. She looked beautiful and strong despite her hollow eyes. He couldn't be prouder.

On that day, he watched her cheering on her little girl as she made her first steps. It was a happy moment, and he watched her laugh as she caught the girl in her arms. But there also was that small tear she quickly wiped away. Because the girl would never know her father.

On that day, he watched her turn down yet another marriage offer, the latest one in a long row. She did it with a distant smile that made him sad. He didn't want her to be lonely.

On that day, he watched her sleep. There was a weird sting in his eyes, as if tears wanted to well up but couldn't. He sat next to her, and watched her all night.

On that day, he watched her fall... He watched how everyone came rushing, trying to help her, to heal her. But there was nothing they could do.

When she appeared next to him, he took her in his arms, inhaling the memory of mayweed on her hair.

"I've been waiting for you," he whispered.

She chuckled, and replied, "I know."

And, finally, after many years, that day came to an end.


	9. This Cold Night

**AU - probably medieval-like setting.  
**

 **AN: So, I'll just leave this here and let you decide...**

 **Hiccup is keen on seeing his lover tonight, even though a snowstorm is coming, and the way is far...**

 **. o O o .**

 **This Cold Night  
**

"So, you're going? _Again?_ "

The voice coming from the doorway to the little chamber he shared with his fellow junior millers didn't surprise Hiccup, not really. In fact he'd expected nothing else. "Yes," he replied simply as he picked up his coat and threw it around his shoulders. Then he straightened and turned to look at his friends.

There was no hint of surprise on their faces either. Fishlegs looked anxious, worry for his friend clear on his face, but that wasn't anything new. "What if her father ever catches you? He'd break you in half just for getting close to his precious daughter!"

"Maybe," Hiccup replied with a small smile. He doubted that the man was actually against a union between him and his daughter, but he wouldn't let that slip. So far, he hadn't told anyone about Master Hofferson's apprenticeship offer, and he intended to keep it that way. "But that's why I'm going tonight. He's going to be away for a day or two, off to the market in town to deliver some goods. We'll be safe." Right from the beginning, Fishlegs had been against this secret relationship, so by now Hiccup was used to his friend's worries.

But Snotlout didn't look happy either, and that _was_ new. "You know, coz, usually I'm totally behind you in this. Odin, that girl looks amazing! I'd definitely hit on her myself, but since you're family I won't."

"Yeah, and the fact that she threatened you with a knife last time you tried is _surely_ of no importance," Hiccup replied dryly.

"But seriously, you shouldn't go tonight," Snot went on, unperturbed. "There's a nasty storm coming, some elders were even talking about snow. You'll freeze to death before you even reach her."

Sighing, Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I'm touched by your concern, Snot. Really. But it's only five miles to Hofferson's forge. Hardly enough to _freeze to death_ , even if those old fishwives are right and there'll be a bit snow tonight. I won't miss this chance to see her."

"Your decision… But keep in mind, if the storm gets you, I'll happily… _'comfort_ ' her over your death."

Shaking his head in something between annoyance and amusement, Hiccup pushed passed the two men. "Lovesick fool," he heard Snotlout mutter, but didn't bother to react. His cousin was right, after all. Hiccup loved Astrid, the blacksmith's daughter, and no amount of well-meant advice or warning would ever keep him away from her. Even just holding her while they slept was worth every journey.

Feeling light with the prospect of spending the night with his beloved, Hiccup sneaked out the backdoor of Jorgenson's mill. There were indeed dark clouds closing in and a few minutes later a handful of scattered snowflakes flew around him. But even that couldn't dampen his mood as he got on his way.

 **. o O o .**

Half an hour later, Hiccup had to admit that staying at the mill would have been the wiser choice.

Within only minutes, the _handful of scattered snowflakes_ had suddenly turned into a solid snowstorm, and the wind was biting through his too-thin clothes without mercy. Being out in a storm like this was pure insanity, Hiccup knew that. All that kept him going was the knowledge that the way back was just as long as the way ahead. As soon as he reached the forge, he would quickly warm up again; at the fire, with a bowl of hot broth, and with Astrid's warm body in his arms.

On and on he went through the ever-growing storm. The wind became stronger, the air icy. Before long, his teeth were chattering, and his thin cloak, usually enough for this time of year, was not sufficient to keep the cold at bay. He became slower, every step harder than the one before as his one good leg became heavier with every minute. The prosthetic that had replaced the leg he'd lost to the millstones two years ago was already solidly frozen, the spring not working anymore, and the icy metal biting painfully into his hurting stump.

Walking was pure agony, the pain and cold nagging at him until he could barely think anymore. Mechanically, he placed one food in front of the other, flesh and metal, until nothing but the memory of Astrid's brightly gleaming eyes kept him going. Finally, after what must have been an eternity amidst the snow, Hiccup caught a glimpse of light ahead. The promise of warmth gave him a second wind, hope fueling his hurting limbs as he stumbling crossed the remaining distance.

 _Knock - - - knock knock - - knock - - - knock - knock - knock - knock_

Hiccup barely felt his hands anymore as he knocked their usual sign against the front door. He leaned heavily against the wood, ready to fall into the warmth inside as soon as she opened him. Dimly, he registered noises from inside, footsteps … and _voices!_ She wasn't alone. Hiccup recognised the deep baritone of her father, and realised in an instant that he was in trouble.

Apprehensively, he waited for the door to open, for Master Hofferson's deadly glare, and for whatever punishment the man deemed appropriate. Because there was no way he could explain away his presence at his house, in the middle of a night when his daughter had been supposed to be alone.

 _This is it then,_ he thought weirdly giddily, arms wrapped tightly around his trembling body. He'd wanted to keep the promise he'd made to his uncle, to help in his mill for three years. He'd wanted to save the money he earned there, scratching together every coin he could before he went to ask Master Hofferson for his daughter's hand. It wouldn't be much of a bride price regardless, but he had hope to pay him back in other ways.

But apparently, the Gods had other plans. Mentally preparing to confront his hopefully future father-in-law, Hiccup waited to be let inside, for the inescapable yelling and the chance to explain himself.

But the door didn't open.

Seconds stretched into minutes without any further reaction from inside, making his heart sink with trepidation. Anxiously, he knocked again, louder. He could hear voices again, but that was it.

"P-please," he gasped, his breath freezing the moment it left his mouth. "Please, open the door." Anxiously, he glanced up at the dark sky. There was no sign to be seen that this storm might end anytime soon. All he could see was darkness, the wind whirling thick snowflakes into snow drifts as the cold crept deeper into his bones. If he stayed out here for much longer, he would _really_ freeze to death. And he didn't want to die... he had so many plans...

Again he knocked, frantically now, and called louder, begging those inside to let him in. He knew that he'd made mistakes, had gone about all this the wrong way. He should have listened to Snot, should have stayed at the mill tonight. Odin, he should have listened to Fishlegs, shouldn't have started this secret relationship in the first place, should have waited. Or he should have done as Astrid had suggested, should have talked to her father right away. But now, it was too late for all these options, and all he could do was wait, hoping for another chance to see her, to tell her how much he loved her. To make things right.

But even as the cold seeped away the strength in his legs and he sank to the ground, the door stayed close, unyielding.

 **. o O o .**

Worrying her lips, Astrid prepared dinner for her father and herself. It wasn't anything special, just a simple stew, something to keep them warm. Despite her general lack of any kitchen skills, this was something she could do. It wasn't difficult or complicated, just throwing the same ingredients as always into the pot and letting them boil.

But today, even that was almost too much for her concentration.

Why, oh why, had this snowstorm come _tonight_? Thor, why couldn't it have hit them even an hour or two later? By then her father would have been long gone, would likely have reached the town already after a hurried ride. He would have been gone and Hiccup would have been here. Everything would have been perfect.

But no, of course things weren't that simple. The storm had come up just in time to keep her father from leaving at all, and now she couldn't help but feel anxious.

She longed to see Hiccup, had so looked forward to this night. For two weeks now, she'd only seen him from afar a couple of times, and she missed him. She wanted him to be here, to feel him close, to listen to his voice as he painted the picture of their future.

But what would happen if Hiccup came now? What would her father say? He wouldn't like the idea of any young man visiting her, not at all. Astrid knew that her father was relatively fond of Hiccup, had been impressed by his nimble hands as they'd built Hiccup's prosthetic together last year. But if he showed up here without being invited? No, her father would _not_ be pleased.

And what if he didn't come? What would that mean? It was fairly late already. Usually Hiccup would be here by now, and she hoped that meant that he'd stayed home. That he was safe. But the storm had hit so suddenly... what if it had surprised him on his way? What if he'd gotten lost in the storm and was freezing to death right now? The thought made her heart cramp painfully, and she dropped the sharp kitchen knife she was using to slice some vegetables. With a loud _clank_ it landed on the stone floor, making her father look up with a raised eyebrow.

"Pay more attention, lass," he reprimanded her grumbling. "That knife is sharp enough to cut off your toes if you're not careful. Your mother, may Hel watch over her, never was that careless." He turned away and focused more closely on his work; with a murmur that she could tell wasn't intended for her ears, "And here I thought with her weapon-work, she'd be more handy with a knife..."

Astrid didn't react to his comment. She knew that her father only grudgingly accepted her _manly_ hobbies – hunting, weapon practice and the like. But she also knew that was because he feared those hobbies would put off eligible suitors. And Astrid didn't want a husband who didn't accept her the way she was anyway. Hiccup accepted her. He _loved_ her, not despite but _because_ of who she was. And she loved him too. His warm, lopsided smile. The way his dry comments always made her grin where others often didn't even understand them. How he could make her knees weak with nothing but an intense look from his deep and honest eyes. Gods, how she missed him...

Turning to hide her face, she bent to pick up the knife. "Of course, Father," she murmured dutifully. "I'm sorry, I was careless for a moment." Forcing her conflicting emotions out of her mind, she continued with her work at hand. Yes, she missed him, but it was better if he didn't come here tonight. At least… If he'd stayed _home_ and hadn't gotten lost… The thought nagged at her, but there was no way she could explain why she wanted to go outside in such a storm, so looking for him was impossible.

They kept working in silence, her father polishing a piece of armour he'd finished today, until someone knocked on the door. Astrid's heart skipped a beat as she recognised the rhythm, a melody Hiccup often hummed to her. So he'd come after all? Through this storm? Relieve filled her at knowing that he hadn't gotten lost after all. And joy, because he was here. There was anxiety too, because she wasn't sure how her father would react. But she didn't let that thought deter her.

With gleaming eyes, she hurried toward the door, reaching for the heavy key that hung from a chain on the wall. But her father beat her to it.

"What's this?" he demanded, brows furrowed as he placed his broad hand over the key, keeping her from unlocking the door. He scrutinised her, his expression turning dark as he caught her excitement. "Who is that?"

"It's… He came to see me," she said in a steady voice, eyes firmly on her father's.

"Who? And _why_ is he here?" he inquired angrily, indicating toward the door with the hand that wasn't holding the key.

 _Now or never,_ Astrid thought, and straightened her shoulders. She'd respected Hiccup's wish to save money before he officially asked for her hand, trusted him. But now, there was no point in hiding anything any longer. The tone of her father's question left no room for speculations; he knew exactly why Hiccup was here. But Astrid gladly took this opportunity to explain herself. "Because I asked him to. We're in love." It felt good to say these words out loud. Right. With a confident smile she waited for her father to understand, for his shoulders to relax, for his expression to soften into confusion, and then maybe into a smile. He liked Hiccup, she was sure of that. He wouldn't mind him marrying her. Surely, he wouldn't…

But his expression didn't soften. If anything, it grew even darker. With an angry growl, he snatched the key from the chain, shoved it into his pocket, and without another word returned to his work.

Baffled, Astrid gazed after him. Then she followed him in a hurry. "What are you doing?" she asked anxiously, trying to scramble for the key, to let Hiccup in. Outside, the storm was still raging, he had to be _freezing_. "Look, I know we should have told you directly. But–"

"No," he snarled, pushing away her searching hands.

The knocking on the door came again, louder this time. Frightened, Astrid glanced in the direction of the sound and then back at her father. "Father, please. Please, let me open the door. He'll freeze. Please, Dad, just–"

"No!" he yelled this time, standing up to tower over her, glaring down at her. "What were you thinking? You _know_ I can't give you much of a dowry to tempt good men to marry you. All you have is your beauty and your virtue. And what do you do? You throw it away the moment some random boy woos you? I thought I'd taught you better than that." With these words, he turned away, clearly declaring the conversation to be over.

Astrid stared at him, disbelievingly shaking her head. Did he really think–

There was more knocking, frantic now, and she could hear Hiccup's voice through the thick wood. His words were unrecognisable, but he sounded desperate, pleading. It was tearing her apart.

"Father, please," she begged, desperate now too. "You can't just leave him there to die. You _can't!_ "

"It's his own fault," he grunted. "He never should have come here." He turned away from her, arms crossed in front of him, unyielding.

Once more, Astrid glanced at the front door behind which Hiccup stood in the cold. If she didn't open him, then he would be dead in the morning. So she made a snap decision.

With a few quick strides she crossed the room and grabbed the knife she'd used before. "Open the door," she demanded; holding the knife with a shaking hand. "Now!"

But her father just gave her a condescending smirk. "Or what? You'd attack me? Don't be silly."

"No, I won't," she replied, voice shaking now too. And raised the knife's edge to her neck. "Open that door, or I'll cut open my throat."

Under different circumstances, seeing her father's eyes widen in surprise would have been quite a victory. But not tonight. All she felt was desperate determination. He _had_ to open that door.

"Don't be foolish, child," he snarled, hands raised as if to placate her. "It's hard, but it's the only–"

"I love him," she blurted out, interrupting him. She was shaking all over now, her voice, her hand, her entire body. The sharp edge nicked her skin, and a small drop of blood ran down her neck. But she didn't care. If Hiccup died tonight, then she didn't want to live anymore either.

"Astrid, don't be daft," he said, more urgent now, eyes following the dark red liquid oozing from the cut. "It's not love just because he thrust his dick into you. When he's gone he can't go around and tell anyone what you two did. Your reputation will stay unblemished and you'll still have the chance to find a good husband. I even have one in mind already, I–"

"But I only want him!" she cried, angry tears clouding her vision. "And it's not like you think at all. I'm still a virgin. He'd been here over a dozen times now, but I'm still a virgin. Hiccup's not like that. He loves me too. We want to _marry_."

From one second to the other, the dark expression vanished from her father's face and got replaced by one of surprise and confusion. "Hiccup?"

 **. o O o .**

Hiccup was barely conscious anymore when the door finally opened.

He registered the dim light pouring through the open door, even through his frozen-shut eyelids. He heard the frantic voice that was calling his name over and over, her sweet sweet voice, even though his mind barely took in anything else. He felt how his body got jostled, even though his skin was so numb, he barely felt anything anymore. Nothing but a pair of hot lips on his forehead, on his cheeks, his nose, his mouth. Over and over, she kissed his face, frantically calling his name.

He wanted to kiss her back, to reassure her that he was still alive, even though he wasn't entirely sure that was the truth. She could be a Valkyrie after all, here to lead him to Valhalla. But no, he was no warrior. He didn't deserve to fight alongside the heroes of old, wouldn't get escorted by one of these divine warriors, so he had to be alive.

"...love you," he mumbled weakly, the most important words, before he gave up and drifted into unconsciousness.

 **. o O o .**

Astrid didn't leave Hiccup's side that night, not for a single moment.

She let her father carry him inside, quickly arranging furs and blankets into a makeshift bed near the hearth to warm him. Slowly, he warmed up again, the colour returned to his ashen skin, his breathing becoming more steady again. At one point, he seemed almost lucid and she managed to feed him a few spoons of the warm stew before he drifted off again.

Her father watched her from a few steps away, his expression unreadable. Astrid had no idea what he was thinking, why he'd so suddenly changed his mind, but she didn't care either. Hiccup was safe inside their warm house, and her father didn't object as she crawled underneath the blanket to cuddle to Hiccup's side, using her body heat to further warm him. In fact, he didn't say a single word at all, just watched, and when it became clear that Hiccup was out of immediate danger, he left them alone in the living room, retreating to his own bedstead for the night.

 **. o O o .**

Hiccup woke only slowly.

His head felt like it was filled with wool, his joints hurting and his skin weirdly prickling, numb and somehow sensitive at the same time. It took him some minutes to understand where he was, what had happened.

He remembered the darkness and the cold, the howling wind. How tired he'd become, how all he'd wanted was to curl up and sleep. Dimly, he remembered her hands and lips on his skin, how she'd frantically rubbed his hands and his chest, had called his name. He almost wrote that part off as nothing but a dream, but then he realised where he was.

In the middle of the Hofferson's living room, wrapped in warm furs and blankets…

With Astrid cuddled to his side, sleeping peacefully…

And Master Hofferson sitting in a chair nearby, watching them.

Inhaling sharply, Hiccup stared at the broad man for a second before he made careful attempts to detangle himself from Astrid without waking her. But Master Hofferson made a calming motion, gesturing Hiccup to stay where he was. Apprehensively, Hiccup lay back again, not daring to enjoy the comforting weight of Astrid's head on his chest.

For several minutes, the older man just gazed at him, making him nervous, before he asked in a low voice, "For how long?"

Swallowing, Hiccup's gaze shifted to the mess of golden hair over his shoulder, before he looked back. "For about six months. A bit more," he croaked. Seven months, one week, and two days since she'd first kissed him, to be precise. But Hiccup doubted the other man was interested in every detail.

The blacksmith frowned. "So, when I offered you an apprenticeship a couple of months back–"

"We already were a couple, yes," Hiccup admitted, averting his eyes. It had sounded too good to be true back then, living under the same roof with her, working together, seeing her every day.

"And yet you didn't accept right away? Asked me for another year before you could start? Boy, I already thought you crazy back then for turning me down in favour of yet another year of working in the mill. But now, it makes even less sense." There was an expression of suspicious bafflement and confusion on the older man's face.

"I–" Hiccup began, but had to pause, coughing. Carefully, he shifted into another position, laying on his side with Astrid's head now resting on his upper arm. "Back then, I wasn't as sure about her… about _us_ as I am now," he explained in a low voice, tenderly caressing her hair. "And I didn't want to go behind my Master's back for something that might turn out as nothing but an infatuation."

"So, you thought going behind my back _before_ you became my apprentice was a better idea?" he asked, disbelievingly, and it made Hiccup squirm. Phrased like that, it sounded pretty stupid.

"If this between us hadn't worked… then I wouldn't have accepted your offer. I wouldn't have burdened her with living with me if things between us had gone wrong," he murmured, eyes resting on Astrid's sleeping face. "And I'd planned to officially ask for her hand the day you would have taken me in."

The man nodded, but still didn't seem to be completely convinced. "And why didn't you accept my offer the day you realised your feelings were true? You could have started working in the forge on any day. Astrid said you two already agreed on marrying each other, why the delay?"

Hiccup understood the question as what it was; a father making sure that his daughter's suitor's intentions were genuine. He could hardly begrudge that. And the answer was easy anyway. "Because I had promised my uncle to work in his mill for another season. And I tend to keep my promises," he said calmly. "And I also wanted to gather as much of a fortune to offer as bride prize as possible." Again, his eyes lingered on her face – on her small nose covered in freckles, on the tiny scars she'd gotten from running through the woods, and on her pink lips, turned into a relaxed smile – and he added, almost inaudibly, "She's worth everything to me."

After that, the other man stayed silent, and it didn't take long before Hiccup's eye became heavy again, exhaustion tearing at him. It should have been weird to be lying there with his beloved in his arms while her father watched them, but somehow it wasn't. In the end, it was everything he'd hoped for after all; that Master Hofferson would accept their relationship, would welcome it even. The last thing he noticed before he drifted off into sleep once more was Astrid sighing happily as she snuggled closer against his chest, enjoying their closeness just as much as he did.

 **. o O o .**

Osmond Hofferson, the beefy old blacksmith, watched fondly as the young couple in his living room went back to their well-earned sleep. Neither of them had gotten enough rest last night, and he knew very well that that was his fault. To think that he'd almost let the young man die…

Osmond sighed, and once the couple's low breathing told him they were fast asleep once more, he stood up and quietly walked back into his small sleeping chamber. It took him a bit of rummaging about in the various shelves and trunks, but eventually, he found what he'd been looking for. It was a wooden carving, nearly two decades old now. The wood was dark, almost black even, the surface smooth. Skilled hands had carved the figure, the hands of a friend.

With a heavy heart, Osmond gazed at what once had been a gift as well as a token for a promise. A promise he'd nearly broken this night. After tugging the figure into a pocket of his warm coat, he left the house, leaving the sleeping couple alone for now. Once outside, he took a deep breath of the pristine winter air that had followed last night's storm, and then walked up a small hill behind the forge. At its top stood an old tree with twisted branches, inviting everyone to climb them. Fond memories rose in Osmond's mind, accompanied by a smile as the past came to life once again in his mind's eye. But then he sobered up again as his eyes landed on the large stone he'd brought up here himself almost twenty years ago. It wasn't a headstone as there was no grave beneath, but it still served as a reminder.

"I'm sorry, old friend," Osmond murmured, one hand resting on the stone's charred surface. "I almost failed you. But from now on, I'll take better care of your boy, Stoick. I promise."

He stayed there for a while longer, reminiscing about times long gone with the wooden figure in his hands, before he made his way back to the house. When he entered, he was greeted by cheerful chuckling and the sight of his beloved daughter as she gazed at the young man with those familiar green eyes, holding her in a loving embrace. She looked happier than he'd seen her in years, and that alone should have been enough to convince him of the man's worthiness. It shouldn't have needed the fact that he was the son of his lifelong best friend, or the promise he'd given on said friend's deathbed. The fact that he was apt and had clever hands in addition to a natural talent for forge work and more intricate mechanics surely helped; a reassurance that his workshop would be in good hands. But all that really mattered was that gleam in Astrid's eyes as they parted from a kiss. All that mattered was that she was happy.

The young couple parted quickly as they noticed him, a slight blush on both their faces as they continued to set the breakfast table. Osmond reacted with a grunt, turning away to hide his emotions. He had no doubts that it wouldn't take long until this house was filled with life again.

As they all sat down to eat the leftover stew – which suddenly tasted much better than it had last night – Osmond placed the wooden figure on the table in front of the man. Hiccup, he reminded himself, gave it a confused look before he reached for it.

"I… know this style," he said hesitantly, eyeing the dark wooden dragon from all sides before turning toward Osmond, frowning. "Is this–"

"Take it as an early wedding gift," Osmond interrupted him, muttering. "From your father."

 **. o O o .**

 **Okay... explanation...**

 **This short was inspired by a song, what else. The song is "Diese kalte Nacht" by _Faun_ , a German medieval-style band. The title means _This Cold Night,_ and here's part of the lyrics translated (Credits to Faun): **

_**This night is cold  
And the wind is blowing  
And who's outside now is a poor fool  
Or on the way to the loved one who's** **worth** **every journey**_

 _ **Oh  
Open up, let me inside  
Your lover stands in the moonlight  
This night is so cold  
So open up  
Because tomorrow it will be too late**_

 _ **My father watches over house and yard  
My door is blocking by an iron bar  
And I do not have a key for it  
There is no way to me tonight**_

 **So, I'm not a poet, but I guess you get what the song is about. And well... I just had to write this down to get it out of my head... back to FTLOAP now...  
**

 **Comments always welcome ;)**


	10. The World Can Wait

**Just a short drabble I wrote for no reason...**

 **. o O o .**

Astrid didn't even see him coming.

In one moment, she stood in the general waiting area, impatiently checking the sun's position and the busy crowd for a familiar face, and in the next–

In the next moment, Hiccup's wiry arms were around her, hauling her against his chest, and her mouth was covered by his. She didn't even yelp in surprise nor did she try to wriggle free – not even for a second. She knew _instinctively_ that it was him. With a relieved moan, she melted against him and returned his kiss, not caring one bit where they were or how many people might be around, watching them.

They kissed like there was no tomorrow; teeth nipped at swollen lips before tongues swiped every trace of pain away, arms wrapped around a slender waist, and fingers buried themselves into auburn lock. The world around them disappeared, faded away into nothing, and only their bubble up love and reconnection existed anymore.

They parted when breathing became inevitable, both panting but unwilling to let go of one another. Astrid felt his forehead against hers, his hands cupping her face, but refrained from opening her eyes. She longed to see him after their two-months-separation, to get lost in his beautiful eyes again, but she also didn't want for this moment to end just yet. Humming, she leaned against him, giggling as he pecked her nose, her cheeks, her eyes.

"Gods, I missed you," he mumbled into her hair, holding her so tight as if to never let go of her again.

She shifted in his embrace, finally opening her eyes to look at him. When blue met green, she couldn't help the radiant smile that spread across her face. He was finally home!

"I missed you too," she breathed, tracing his face with reverent fingers before leaning in to kiss him once more.

The world around them could wait a bit longer.


	11. Easing Pain

**Another silly drabble I wrote for no particular reason... *shrug* have fun. ^^**

 **. o O o .**

 **Easing Pain**

She was going to kill him.

Most definitely.

As soon as she was able to move again.

"Oh, fuck," Astrid cursed, loud and unashamed, when he hit an especially painful spot. "Gods, let me die, please, this isn't worth it."

Behind her, Hiccup chuckled. "Who's overly dramatic now?" he asked cheerfully, and kept pushing and grinding his fingers until she howled in pain.

"Hiccup, please," she whimpered after regaining control over her voice again. "Just… just let me lie here, okay? It's not so bad if I don't move. And I'm sure it'll be all right again in the morning. Yeah, that's it. I'll just hold still, and then…" she trailed off, whimpering as his hands went on kneading the smelly tincture into her back, even though he was much more careful now.

"Maybe it will be better tomorrow," he agreed, the amusement in his voice barely concealed at all. "But Gothi said a strain as bad as this needs tending, or you might suffer from it for _weeks._ I'm sorry, milady, but this is necessary." He leaned down to place a soft kiss onto her shoulder, before his hands kept massaging the hurting muscles.

Astrid whimpered and whined, interrupted by the occasional scream. All Gods be damned, how could a strained muscle in the back _hurt so fucking much?_ And how did Hiccup dare to actually be so _damn smug_ while massaging the healing tincture in?

Yeah, she was certainly going to kill him.

Once he was done, he covered her bare – except for the tincture, of course – body with a thin fabric followed by a thicker blanket to keep her warm. Then he climbed into bed beside her, positioning himself so that she could see him without moving.

"Thanks," she eventually sighed. She knew the pain he'd inflicted by massaging her had been necessary, after all.

Hiccup chuckled. "Anytime," he replied, and brushed a few strands of hair her hair out of her face. "Even though I hope you don't plan to strain half your back _again_ anytime soon."

She snorted. "You didn't seem as if you've minded much," she muttered, a little miffed at how much fun he'd apparently had.

Hiccup frowned, then shook his head. "I _don't_ mind taking care of you, whatever you need, but I certainly don't enjoy you being in pain," he clarified in a sincere voice. Then she saw how his lips twitched a little. "But I'll openly admit that seeing my fierce general being taken down by a simple action as turning to lift two mugs of mead is amusing."

"Your _fierce general_ is going to kick your ass," she growled, shifting slightly and regretting it in an instant as a new spark of pain shot down her spine. "Fuck!"

Hiccup laid his hand over the spot on her back that hurt the most, directly next to the spine and beneath her left shoulder blade. The additional warmth felt good, and only moments later, she relaxed again.

"And I also enjoy taking care of my wife. To for once be the one who eases _your_ pain instead of the other way around."

Astrid couldn't help but hum at his words, and a smile crept across her face. She understood what he meant. His amputated leg still hurt him often enough, after all.

"And then," he whispered, leaning close enough so that his breath tickled in her ear. "I also quite enjoyed having you lie so helplessly beneath me, moaning and shouting at every other of my actions."

Now, _these_ words made her shudder, and pleasant warmth pooled in her lower belly. How was he allowed to affect her so easily with just a few words? It wasn't fair. Now she was forced to lie still for the rest of the night _and_ horny.

And judging by the gleam in his eyes, he definitely knew it,

Oh, she was _so_ going to kill him!

 **. o O o .**

 **So there... this happened... ^^"**


	12. Stay Here Tonight

**Post HTTYD3 -** **Warning: Possible Spoilers!**

 **A drabble I wrote for a prompt on Tumblr. Hope you like it :)**

 **. o O o .**

It had been a long day. Long weeks, to be precise.

Hiccup had never thought that getting reacquainted to a life without dragons would be that hard. It had been only six years, after all. Sure, six years of _"Toothless, could you light the hearth for me?"_ , of _"Wait, I'll fly over to Melody Island and get some more Deathsong amber,"_ , of _"Oh, Dagur and Mala sent a Terror Mail, apparently Heather and Atali finally are getting married,"_ and of _"Come on, Astrid. Let's head out, just you and me. If we go now, we'll be back by dawn,"_.

But it _really_ shouldn't be that hard. They'd managed before too, hadn't they? They'd used sticks or had left the coals glowing, had used ships and more time to get provisions and exchange messages, had settled for sneaking out into the woods instead of to another island. But that life seemed so far away now, and Hiccup had no idea how to return to it.

But they had no choice. Because the dragons were gone, and it was better that way. New Berk just had to get used to it.

With a deep sigh, Hiccup rubbed his face and looked one last time over the construction he and other Berkians had built today; a crane to lift and lower boats and small ships to the ocean below.

"I dare say we did well today, lad." Gobber sounded just as tired as Hiccup felt. Hiccup turned toward where the blacksmith was just packing up his tools.

"I know," he sighed. "It just feels like it wasn't enough. There's still so much to do…"

"Ah, don't despair. You'll see, before long, this place will be a wonderful new home to all of us. And don't forget the happy occasion looming on the horizon. Calm down, and take all this as what it is. A new beginning."

Hiccup nodded mutely, and waved after Gobber and Eret who had come to help carry the many boxes of tools back to the improvised smith and the small hut they shared. A new beginning… Yes, that's what all this was. He just couldn't wait for things to calm down. For things to feel _normal_ again.

On his way back to his hut, that was looming high over the rest of the village, he spotted Valka in the distance, leading a group of people that carried cards and sacks toward the newly-built storehouse. With her having lived away from civilisation for so long, it was only practical for her to oversee the gathering of supplies, for her to teach them which of the foreign plants were edible and which weren't. It was a work she fully engaged in, and even though it meant she practically never had time for anything else – her son included – Hiccup could understand her. It was her way of coping. Sure, she'd known for a long while that this, setting the dragons free to live on their own, had been the only solution. She alone had been prepared, but that didn't mean it was any easier for her. So focusing on practical work was her way of dealing with the loss, and Hiccup let her – even though he really could have used her support.

With a grunt, Hiccup halted in front of one of the few huts that were already habitable. He hadn't meant to go and see Astrid, but apparently, his subconsciousness had decided otherwise by leading him to the Hofferson's new home. Laughing quietly at himself, Hiccup knocked at the Hofferson's door, and waited. Seeing Astrid and maybe spending an hour or two talking to her might be just what he needed to wind down after this day. It didn't take long before Osmond Hofferson opened.

"Ah, good evening, Chief," Astrid's father greeted him. "I... erm, I'd gladly invite you in, but I assume you're looking for Astrid? She's not here yet, still out there somewhere being busy. But I can relay a message to her if you want?"

Hiccup's mood fell further, but he fought not to let it show. "Thanks, Osmond," he sighed. "But there wasn't anything specific. See you around." He quickly waved goodbye and left. He _really_ would have liked to see Astrid today. Just to remind him of how not everything was bleak and hopeless. Because it wasn't, and he knew that. But on days like today, that was hard to remember. Gods, he missed Toothless all the time, but on a day like today, where his leg ached from walking and his back from lifting heavy wood, the reminder was omnipresent.

Feeling even more tired and worn out than before, he trudged on up the hill. He needed sleep but he dreaded spending the night alone in the cold and unfamiliar hut. With Valka having insisted on wanting her own hut to not intrude on the soon-to-be-married couple, the nights were when he missed Toothless the most. The reassuring heavy breathing of his best bud and his shuffling in his sleep. The silence of the empty hut only made the memories worse.

When he entered his new home, however, he found it filled with the warmth of the already lightened hearth and with the pleasant scent of food. He'd just taken off his heavy cloak, curiously looking around, when Astrid appeared from one of the adjacent rooms.

"Hey, babe," she greeted him with a warm if tired smile. She carried a stack of empty boxes and placed them down next to the door before she gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Behind her, her mother and her aunt Helka appeared, both carrying boxes as well, and Hiccup realised what they'd been doing. They'd brought over Astrid's dowry in advance; clothes, blankets, kitchenware, and everything else he and Astrid would need for their own household.

The reminder made Hiccup smile despite his former gloomy mood. It was only two days until their wedding. A new beginning, indeed.

"Evening Chief," Astrid's mother Brenna greeted him with her usual kind smile. "We brought you some stew, because Astrid said you probably haven't eaten anything yet."

Hiccup winced, but nodded. "She was right," he admitted reluctantly. "I haven't. Thank you."

Brenna nodded, then she and her sister bid their farewell and left. But when Astrid was about to follow them, Hiccup made her pause with a hand on her arm. She didn't need words to understand, melted easily into his embrace and returned it just as tightly. With a sigh, Hiccup finally relaxed. No matter how difficult and daunting their future seemed to be, together they would manage. A life without dragons – without Toothless – was possible, and Astrid lending him her strength was just the reminder he'd needed.

He couldn't say for how long they stood there like that. All he knew was that, when Astrid shuffled and made attempts to pull away, it was too soon.

"Stay," he murmured into her hair, reluctant to let go of her.

Chuckling, Astrid shifted in his arms until she could place a soft kiss to his neck. "But what would the people say?" she asked, teasing, even as she snuggled closer into his embrace again.

Hiccup snorted in reluctant amusement. It didn't really matter what the people would say, and they both knew that well enough. It wasn't as if they had never sneaked away to spend a night or even a couple of days alone together before. Neither of them had ever had any doubts about the other, and having people gossiping about what they had or hadn't done so far wouldn't change that.

"I don't care," he muttered, and his arms around her tightened. "Stay here tonight. Please?" It wasn't even that he wanted to _do_ anything. He just wanted to hold her.

And to his relief, Astrid nodded. "Okay."


	13. A New Wind

**Canonverse/HTTYD3 - Possible Spoilers - Angst/Fluff**

 **So, this was another prompt I got on Tumblr. It said "How are you feeling today?", and this is what came out... *shrug* I hope someone likes it. :)**

 **. o O o .**

 **A New Wind**

Her screams were horrible.

With every single one, Hiccup felt as if his heart got ripped to threads, and the worst part was that there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was wait, hope, and, if he dared, hold her hand.

"You can do this," he said encouragingly, repeating the same mantra he'd said so many times before already. It felt bleak and foul by now, not as if it helped at all. And judging by Astrid's reaction, it didn't.

"Stop- uh! Stop saying that!," she pressed out, groaning in pain and clutching at his hand. Her words were followed by another pained outcry that nearly tore him apart.

"Then tell me what else I can do," he begged, desperate to do _something_ to help her. This was a nightmare, all of it. And there seemed to be no end.

Astrid shook her head with a mixture of sobbing and hysterical laughter. "You can't do anything. I-ngg… I've got to–"

"You could open the window, Chief," Astrid's aunt Helka, who also was the village's midwife, ordered. "Not for long, we want to keep it warm and cosy in here, but some fresh air would help us all, I think."

Hiccup nodded, carefully pried his hands loose from Astrid's iron grip, and hurried to do as he was told. He took a deep breath of the cool and fresh breeze, only now noticing how stuffy it was inside. Outside, the sun was already setting. How strange… hadn't it just been mid-morning? He hadn't even noticed how much time had passed; no wonder Astrid was so exhausted. He turned to look at her again where she lay on the bench by the fire, her swollen body trembling and covered in sweat.

"Mmh, yes," she whispered as he crouched back by her side. "I like the wind. It feels nice."

Hiccup almost chuckled. The wind. It was something of a codeword between the two of them. _The wind_ was the memory of soaring through the sky, of cool air tearing at their clothes.

The memory of their best friends.

But before those thoughts and memories could linger, Astrid asked out of the blue, "Ha-have you… already decided on… on a name?" Her voice was weak, eyes closed where her head was resting against his shoulder.

Torn between the urge to pull her closer and the fear of causing her even more pain, Hiccup just turned his head and buried his face in her entangled hair. "No, I haven't," he murmured. "I want us to do that together. We'll wait and see whether it's a boy or a girl, and then–"

Weak laughter shook her body, making her wince almost immediately. It didn't sound reassuring at all. "Oh, Hiccup…" It seemed as if she wanted to say more but held back, and Hiccup was grateful for it. He didn't want to hear it. That she might not be around to pick a name.

Instead, she just reached for his hand, her fingers shaking. "You'll pick a good one. I trust you. I just hope it's a boy..."

"Doesn't matter," Hiccup replied, even though he wasn't sure whether Astrid had heard it.

For a while, everything was quiet safe for Astrid's occasional cries or whimpering at a contraction, her body stiffening, and pain contorting her face.

"You can do this," he murmured again, almost despite himself. Giving birth was never easy, he'd learned that much by now. But if there was one woman strong enough then it was Astrid… right?

 **. o O o .**

Time was a tricky thing. The hours seemed to stretch endlessly, dusk turning into night and into dawn again. But when it was over, Hiccup barely remembered how it had happened. Awestruck, he kneeled at Astrid's side, staring down at the tiny body in her arm. The girl was wrapped in a woollen blanket, only her head with the patch of dark hair visible.

"You did it," he breathed, stunned. "You really did it. And she's beautiful!"

Astrid was weeping, from exhaustion probably, or from how overwhelming everything was. For a short moment, she pulled the tiny girl closer to her chest, then let her head roll to the side. She was looking in his general direction, but her eyes seemed unable to focus on anything.

"Take her," she whispered, so low that he almost didn't hear her. "Take… I…"

Hiccup jumped as Astrid suddenly fell limp. One hand shot up to steady her body as it threatened to topple off the bench, the other toward the bundle in her arms. But as it was, at least the baby was still safe and secure in her mother's arms.

"Astrid? Astrid, wake up." Hiccup shook her shoulder, gently but firmly, but got no answer. "Astrid!"

"Let her sleep," Helka's voice sounded from behind him. Hiccup threw her a quick glance where she was washing bloodied sheets and towels. "She is exhausted…" She bit her lip, then shook her head and continued. "There's nothing you can do for her right now. Let her rest. All we can do is… is hope that that will be enough."

"W-what are you saying?" He didn't want to know the answer, didn't want to hear it. But he had to.

"Astrid, she… she lost a lot of blood. Like, _really_ a lot. I–" The elderly woman licked her lips, then her sad eyes met his directly. "I don't know whether she'll make it. This was one of the hardest births I ever witnessed. Astrid is strong, but… well, only time will show whether she's strong enough."

Hiccup felt as if the rug got pulled out from under his feet. "What?" he stammered. "No… No! This… this can't be happening. I _need_ her!"

"And that little girl needs her father," Helka reminded him gently. "There's nothing you can do for Astrid right now, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything."

Hiccup felt hollow inside, but nodded. His eyes darted back to the little girl still lying in Astrid's limp arms. Helka was right, his daughter needed him. Ever so carefully, he lifted the tiny body and took her into his arm. With his free hand, he reached for Astrid's once more, but Helka motioned him out. "Leave her to me. I'll move her to the bed, stay here to check on her, maybe see if I can feed her some soup. I'll take care of her," she promised.

For a while, Hiccup just sat on the steps in front of their new house on New Berk, his newborn daughter asleep in his arms. It was early morning, nobody awake yet, and Hiccup tried not to go crazy with worrying over Astrid. Helka was right, there was nothing he could do for her right now. But Gods, if he were to lose her now… then he wasn't sure whether he'd be able to cope.

The bundle in his arms stirred, and, pushing all those troubling thoughts aside, he focused all his attention on the nameless girl.

"Hey there, little one," he murmured as he lightly caressed her rosy cheek. Almost despite himself, a smile tugged at his lips as the girl yawned, her tiny pink lips forming a perfect O. Then she opened her eyes, somehow directly looking up at him, and Hiccup's breath caught in his throat.

She had the same blue eyes as her mother.

 **. o O o .**

When Astrid woke, she had trouble remembering where she was. This wasn't her room in her parent's house… was it? Her mind was dazed, her thoughts heavy. She tried to move, but everything hurt. What had happened? Had she been injured? Wounded in a fight?

For a minute or three, she just lay still, gathering strength and trying to get order into her head. She knew this room. Right… it was her and Hiccup's bedroom in their new house. There were the trunks with their clothes, a shelve with a few of Hiccup's books, and her beloved axe hanging from its hook on the wall. And there was the crib that Hiccup had build for–

From one moment to the other, Astrid's mind became crystal clear. Her baby! Groaning, she lifted her head, trying to look around. But before she could move for real, there was shifting on the large bed next to her and a wonderfully familiar voice calling her name.

"Astrid?"

He sounded sleepy, but only for the fraction of a second. Then his head appeared above her, his pale features lighting up with a relieved smile. "Oh Gods, Astrid, you're awake!"

"Uh, yeah, I think so?" she mumbled, already feeling her strength dwindling again. "What… where is she?" It was all that really mattered. Her little baby girl. She hadn't imagined it all, hadn't she? No, certainly not. Feeling her warm weight in her arms, that had to have been real.

"She's here, don't worry," Hiccup reassured her. He reached to the side, and a moment later carefully placed their sleeping daughter onto her chest.

Astrid couldn't help but stare at her, hard pressed to wrap her head around the fact that this wasn't a dream. She wasn't just an idea anymore, not their faceless child growing inside her, but _real!_

With trembling fingers, Astrid reached for her, caressing her back, her head, her face. "She's beautiful," she sobbed, overwhelmed.

"She really is," Hiccup agreed. "Just like you."

Astrid laughed. She wanted to swat his arm, but didn't feel as if she had the strength for it. Instead, she looked back at her daughter, at the tiny nose, the patch of reddish brown hair. She really was beautiful. And yet…

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She didn't dare to meet Hiccup's eyes, didn't want to see the possible disappointment there. "I'm sorry that it's not a boy. But we–"

"What?" Hiccup interrupted her.

Astrid pressed her lips together, but didn't fight him when he turned her head to look at him. "Astrid, I don't care whether it's a boy or a girl!"

"But you need an heir! We can try again, and I'm sure… I mean…"

"No!"

The tone in Hiccup's voice surprised her and made her look at him after all. There was determination in his eyes, in an intensity she'd barely ever seen before. "But…" she began, but Hiccup cut her off right away.

"I don't care whether my heir is a boy or a girl. I meant what I said, it doesn't matter. We both know that women can lead just as well as men. She is my firstborn, and my heir. I…" He gulped, and averted his eyes after all.

Touched, Astrid relaxed a little, hummed with her hand on her daughter's back. She wasn't surprised by his decision, not really. But it was good to have it settled nonetheless. "Will she make it though?" she mused, absentmindedly. "She's so tiny, so small…"

At that, Hiccup chuckled, if reluctantly. "Don't worry. She's perfectly healthy. And one day, she'll be the strongest of them all."

Astrid joined in on the chuckling, giggling weakly, and almost missed Hiccup turning serious again.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked, weirdly earnest.

She could feel that the question meant more to Hiccup than just polite conversation, so she took the time to listen into her body. "A little weak?" she eventually replied. "Not yet ready to chase after a flock of sheep, at least." She chuckled. "And everything kinda hurts. All my muscles are sore, as if I've worked out for far too long. But all in all… I feel okay?"

Hiccup nodded, sighing. She gave him a confused look, which he returned with a pained one. He seemed reluctant to say more, but in the end, gave in to the silent question in her eyes.

"Astrid… I meant what I said. We don't need to get more children, or not actively aim for more at least."

"Well, that's not really in our hands," Astrid replied, bemused. "Unless you want to refrain from ever having sex again? Or was that you telling me you don't find me attractive anymore?" It was meant as a joke, and judging by Hiccup's brief snort and rolling of his eyes, he took it as such as well. But then, he turned serious again.

"Astrid," he murmured, reaching for her free hand and idly playing with her finger. "I'm not sure how much you remember… But you almost _died_ giving birth to her. You were unconscious for over two days, and I… I can't stand the thought of losing you. I love you, more than ever, and… Well, I can't imagine a world without you in it."

Smiling at the quote, Astrid gave her husband a loving look. "You won't lose me," she promised. She tugged at his arm until he lay down beside her and let her cuddle into his arms. She knew that this wouldn't be the last word exchanged about that topic, but she didn't want to argue with him, not now. Instead, she just focused on the moment, on them all three cuddling together, she, Hiccup, and their little baby daughter. Whose name she still didn't know.

"What did you name her?" she asked, shuffling to encourage him to lay his arm around them both.

"I…" he began, and Astrid could feel how he turned a little self-conscious.

"What, is it that bad?" she teased. She knew that he was prone to ridiculous names, but she'd also meant what she'd told him before. She trusted him not to pick an awful name for their child. That was a tradition, New Berk didn't need anymore.

"I… don't think so?" he said, laughing a little nervously. "It's… Well, it comes from a faraway language originated somewhere deep in the South. Fishlegs found that book in a trader's vault a while back, and, well… I thought it fits."

She turned, to give him a curious look. But instead of directly replying, Hiccup reached for the girl's miniscule hand and carefully placed it against Astrid's cheek. Closing her eyes, she hummed. That felt good.

"Her name is Zephyr," Hiccup murmured. "It means _light wind_ or _breeze._ A little odd, I guess, but I thought–"

"No, it's good," Astrid interrupted him, smiling up at him. Then she glanced back at her little girl, at Zephyr, and couldn't help grinning. The old stronger winds might be gone. But certainly, this new lighter wind would be enough to keep them occupied. "It's perfect."

 **. o O o .**

 **So, yeah... Hope you like it ;)**


	14. Biting 2

**Another one-shot I wrote for a prompt on Tumblr. It was "Please don't walk out that door." and, well, this is what came out. In a way, it is a continuation of HeathenVampires' one-shot "Biting" (with his approval!), so we have vampire!Hiccup and human!Astrid in a modern AU. Angst and Fluff and Romance. Hope you like it ;)**

 **. o O o .**

 **Biting 2**

For a seemingly never-ending moment, he just gazed down at her. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, the pale moonlight gleaming on her skin. He could literally spend eternity just watching her.

Except that she wouldn't be here that long.

A pained noise escaped Hiccup's throat. It wasn't his real name, of course. After centuries wandering this world, he couldn't remember what his real name once had been. But even though he mostly tried to blend in, he sometimes amused himself with throwing people off by picking the most ridiculous name possible. _Hiccup_ certainly had served him well.

Except for the one who hadn't been thrown off; not by the name and not by anything else. Not by his icy skin, his never-changing body, his inhuman strength, or by the fact that, more than almost everything else, he craved her blood. That he could easily kill her if he ever lost control for only a second. She'd stayed with him, even after she'd learned what he was, had never looked at him as if he was a monster. With her, he'd felt human again, something he'd thought he'd lost ages ago.

Carefully, he let his fingers glide over her face, memorising her features without ever touching her. He didn't want to wake her, didn't want to draw it out. He'd already stayed longer with her than he should, longer than with anyone else before her. And she would stay with him until the end of time, Hiccup was sure of that. Never before in his existence had he met someone as intriguing and fascinating as Astrid. She was fierce and courageous, but also soft and loving. She was beautiful, but it was more than just her golden hair and blue eyes that reminded him of the long-lost summer days, the blue sky and the golden sunlight. No, her beauty reached deeper, beneath her skin. She had a beautiful soul, and no matter how long he kept wandering, he would forever treasure her memory.

But he couldn't stay any longer. Already, he'd influenced her life for long enough. It wasn't fair to her to linger, to let her fantasise about him changing her, when he knew that he would _never_ take her life.

Oh, she didn't see it like that, but he knew better. Being a Vampire didn't mean eternal life. Never feeling the warm sunlight, never tasting all those fascinating dishes mankind had invented, never seeing a sunset again. Never hearing the laughter of your child. Wanding among those who fear you, smelling their blood. Fighting the urge to kill every single one, just so the thirst would lessen for a little while. No, that wasn't eternal life. It was eternal sorrow.

"I shouldn't have let this happen again," he murmured under his breath. His sharp eyes wandered over Astrid's lithe body, covered with nothing but a thin blanket that left little to the imagination. He remembered how, only a short hour ago, he'd made love to her, that sweet sweet cry she'd given when he'd taken both her blood and her pleasure. Being intimate with a human was the only indulgence he allowed himself every now and then; not only for the desire but mostly for the company. It was an elusive escape with how quickly humans grew old and died, always painful to return to a place only to realise that the one he'd once known had passed away, and the short-lived happiness was barely ever worth the eternal sense of loss.

But with Astrid, he hadn't been able to resist. Her radiant smile, her sharp humour, her witty comments, everything about her had drawn him in right from the first day he'd spotted her across a street. The joy she'd brought him over the months was invaluable, especially after she'd found out what he was and hadn't fled. She was wonderful, perfect, everything he wanted. He wasn't able to resist her.

And that was why he had to leave. Now, before it was too late. Every night she asked him to change her, and every night he told her _maybe_ , that he would think about it.

But it was a lie. He didn't need to think about it. He wouldn't change her, _couldn't_ change her. She thought she'd be happy to spend eternity with him, but she didn't know what she was offering to give up. And Hiccup knew that he couldn't take it from her.

But he felt that his resolve was wavering, that her pleas hit him harder and harder with every time she asked. Tonight, in from of that mirror, he'd almost given in. He'd noticed how her hands had fluttered up, had known what she wanted. She wanted him to bite her _for real_ , to infect her too. And he'd almost done it… The temptation was there, to create himself a companion, someone to share eternity with. But no matter how much he wanted it to be her, he _couldn't_ do it! She didn't know what she was asking for...

Hiccup bent down to kiss her one last time, barely even touching her lips. It was more like the ghost of a kiss, a shadow. Just like him. Then he straightened again, turned, and walked away. It was better this way. She would be hurt when she woke in the morning, alone. Maybe she would cry. It was possible that she'd waste months, maybe even _years_ looking for him. But in the end, it was better this way. She would heal, would love again. She would _live_.

When he reached the door, his eyes were burning. He couldn't produce tears anymore, but if he could he knew that his cheeks would be wet. He didn't want to leave her, ever. But it was the only way. Resisting the urge to turn and look at her one last time, he reached for the door handle, and-

"Hiccup?"

It wasn't often that something took Hiccup by surprise anymore, but Astrid's quiet voice did it. He froze, cursing his own reluctance. If he'd left only a few minutes earlier…

"Hiccup, where are you going?" She sounded tired, voice still heavy with fatigue.

Slowly, almost against his will, Hiccup turned to look at her again. All Gods above, she was so beautiful. So strong, yet so vulnerable as she gazed at him, her eyes widening with realisation.

"No," she gasped. She scrambled out of the bed they'd shared, but stopped when he made a step backwards, toward the door. He had to leave, couldn't stay, shouldn't linger…

Astrid didn't come closer, but from one moment to the other, it seemed as if all strength left her. The pain in her eyes almost killed him.

"Please," she begged. "Please don't walk out that door."

Astrid was strong, but she had no chance against him. She couldn't keep him from doing what he wanted, couldn't force him. She was only human. And yet, she held an irresistible power over him. He should leave, just turn and disappear from her life. But he just couldn't.

"I have to," he whispered. "It's been going on for too long already." He met her eyes, trying to convey everything he felt for her. "I love you, Astrid, and I always will. I will never forget you. But I can't stay any longer. I almost-" he broke off, biting back what he'd almost let slip. That he'd almost changer her tonight.

But Astrid seemed to understand anyway. Her eyes widened in surprise, joy and hope dancing behind them. "Please," she implored. "Hiccup, please. Please do it!"

"I can't," he replied sternly.

"Why not?" she nearly whined.

"I already told you why," he sighed. Why was he still here? "You are too young, you still have a whole life ahead of you. I won't take that from you, Astrid. I won't!"

"But I don't want it." Her voice was low, though not weak. Slowly, she made a careful step in his direction. Then another. He should simply leave, she couldn't hold him back, but he _couldn't_. "I don't want a life without you in it. It's not worth it."

"Astrid," he began, but she interrupted him directly.

"No, I mean it. I've thought about it long enough. I don't care for a boring normal life. And I know that… that being a vampire isn't easy. But it's a burden we can carry together, you and me. We can share it. Please, Hiccup. I never want to be parted from you, not ever."

She was almost close enough to touch him now, and he feared and craved her touch alike. If she only so much as touched his skin with her sure and warm fingers, his resolve might crumble. He wanted… wanted… wanted...

"Please do it, Hiccup." She was right in front of him now, her hand on his chest where once his heart had been beating. Her warmth seeped into him, strong and sure and confident. And he knew that he wasn't able to resist her.

It happened without a warning. In one moment, they just stood there, half a step apart. And in the next, he held her in a tight embrace, rendering her unable to move. His mouth was on her neck, cold lips ghosting over sweaty skin, before his fangs dug into her. He bit her deep, deeper than ever anyone before. He could taste the difference immediately, the fresher blood from her artery so full of life that it made him moan.

So… good...

It was overwhelming, so much stronger than he'd anticipated, and he had to fight to make himself stop. By the time he could think straight again, he was kneeling on the hard ground, Astrid's limp body in his arms. For a short, horrible moment, he feared that he'd taken too much after all, but when he quickly checked her over, he relaxed again.

It had worked. He could still hear her steadily beating heart, but also could already smell it on her blood, the virus, the curse. She was infected, the change beginning already. Swallowing, he searched for her eyes, afraid of what he might find there. But when their eyes met, hers were gleaming.

"Thank you," she mouthed, her body too weak to produce sounds already.

He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. "For you, my lady, everything."

Carefully, he lifted her body off the ground and carried it back to the bed. She was trembling all over, the virus working quickly. It wouldn't take long.

"Now rest, my love," he murmured into her ear as he lay down by her side, holding her. "I'll take care of you, and when you wake, I'll be here. Forever."

 **. o O o.**

 **So, yeah... hope you liked it! ;)**


	15. Love On The Battlefield

**Hiccstrid - canon-verse-ish**

 **AN: A short drabble for a prompt I got on Tumblr. The Prompt was "That was unexpected."**

 **. o O o .**

 **Love On The Battlefield**

"Behind you!"

Hiccup reacted on instinct. He whirled around, Inferno raised to parry the attacker's strike. In the next moment, he dropped to his knee, knowing perfectly well what was coming. The large man looked down at him in surprise, then gave a low grunt, and dropped to the stony ground, dead. He hadn't seen the axe coming.

With a grim face, Hiccup looked around the Hunters' camp. He'd stopped counting how many they'd ambushed by now, it was always the same. Free the dragon, destroy the equipment, chase away the Hunters. Or kill them, if necessary.

He looked down at the corpse lying at his feet, and swallowed, his heart beating as if it was about to explode. That had been awfully _close_. He'd thought they had all Hunters under control by now. If Astrid hadn't called out that warning…

Swallowing even harder, he turned to where she was stomping in his direction now. She looked furious, her beautiful eyes blazing. Hiccup put on an apologetic expression and lifted his hands in a placating gesture. He knew what would be coming. She would scold him for not being careful and observant enough, and rightly so. He should have paid better attention to their enemies' numbers; he was lucky to still be alive. He braced himself for the inevitable scolding, knowing he deserved it, and already tried to come up with a plan to placate his beloved. A day out, just the two of them, with her in charge maybe, to drill him as she saw fit and then for him to spoil her with whatever he could think of. But when she reached him, he found that his expectations go severely disappointed.

Astrid grabbed him by the collar of his tunic and hauled him into a harsh kiss. Hiccup grunted in surprise but easily gave in to her demanding mouth. Her hands in his hair nearly hurt with how hard she was clutching at him, pulling him even closer. After a few heartbeats, the kiss turned a little softer though, her lips parted, and her tongue searched for his. It made him dizzy, holding her tight just to have an anchor. When they parted, she leaned her head against his chest, hiding her face.

"Okay, that was unexpected," he mumbled, still a little dazed. He wished he could see her face, see what she felt. He was aware of their friends around them, staring open-mouthed at the unusual show if intimacy, but he couldn't care less about them right now. "What was that for?"

Astrid snorted, but eventually pulled back to look at him again after all. She lifted her hand and gave him a weak punch against his leather vest, barely even tangible if he hadn't seen it brushing against him. "That's for almost getting yourself killed, you idiot," she whispered. "And the kiss was for everything else. For listening to me and knowing just what to do."

Hiccup smiled ruefully. As much as he often complained about her repeated drills, he had to admit that those had saved his life today. He bent to place a soft kiss to her temple, then bent down to pick up the axe she'd thrown. "And thank _you_ , too," he said, handing the axe back to her. "For always having my back."


End file.
